


Trials of a Champion - Kanto

by MsGameinIt123



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Events based on pokemon video games, F/M, Gen, Kanto-chihou | Kanto, Manga & Anime, Multi, Other, Pokemon, Pokemon Fanfiction, Pokemon Journey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-28
Updated: 2020-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:48:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 42
Words: 206,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22932061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MsGameinIt123/pseuds/MsGameinIt123
Summary: The beginning of the journey is where first impressions and difficult decisions matter the most. Together with her first Pokemon, Rosa excitedly sets out on a journey. Her goal? To become the first-ever Pokémon World Champion. Her travels through Kanto will lay the foundation for her future. What friends will she make? Rivals? Enemies? Will she learn any hard lessons along the way? And most important of all, what kinds of Pokémon will help her to reach her ultimate goal?
Comments: 7
Kudos: 16





	1. Pokémon I Choose You

My eyes locked onto the Pokémon perched on my bedside table. “Okay, buddy, there are two kinds of Trainers in this world, ones who prepare for their journeys and ones who do not. We’re going to prepare for this one, so let’s get everything out onto the floor!”

Shinx barked happily, nearly knocking over a lamp in his enthusiasm.

We grabbed anything and everything that we could lift, tossing it all towards the center of the room. I cleared out my dresser, desk, and closet. Shinx pulled everything off the bed, sheets and all. Sprinkled on top, I dumped out the contents of my backpack: an infinite amount of pens, a notebook, and a granola bar.

“Gross,” I gagged, wrinkling my nose and wondering how long the snack bar had been in that bag. It became the first item for the trash pile.

Hands on my hips, the messy junk mountain looked ripe for the picking. “Looks like everything’s here!” I left the room for a moment and came back with a cardboard box. Upon spotting it, my feline Pokémon immediately jumped into the crate and sat. “Hey. This isn’t for you.”

Shinx curled up and yawned.

“If it fits, it does  _ not _ sit. Now get out.”

He fought back a laugh before bouncing up onto my head.

“So, here’s how this is going to go.” Adding my old bag to the trash pile, I placed a navy backpack onto the bed. “We pack anything we want to bring into this.”

Admiring the bright material, Shinx pawed the bag. Traces of ice-blue and neon-yellow masked the pockets and zippers.

“Isn’t it awesome? Volt got this for me. It even has our favorite colors.”

He played with the zipper.

“Okay, come on. We need to get this done, and then we can play.” I turned back to the empty cardboard box. “So anything for the journey goes onto the bed. Anything we don’t want to take with us, but still want to keep, we’ll put in this box. Everything else goes to the dump or gets donated. I don’t care. Volt will take care of that. Sound like a plan?”

Shinx dove into the pile like a ball pit.

We agreed to first gather the essentials. “Let’s set aside some clothes, and my jacket too.” I put together a comfortable outfit for tomorrow and placed it on the bed, alongside a set of spares.

Shinx handed me a scarf. “Ooh, some clothes for different weather. Good thinking.” I scratched his head as thanks, setting aside the scarf, a pair of thick gloves, a swimsuit, and thick socks.

A toothbrush and a hairbrush beckoned for me to free them from the pile. “We’re going to need these too. My hair wouldn’t last a day without being brushed. Can you gather some of the basic supplies for me?” We found a water bottle, a flashlight and extra batteries, a lighter, a multi-tool, and a first aid kit.

We examined the contents inside the kit. “Good, everything we bought yesterday is in here. I’ve got enough people and Pokémon medicine to last us a few weeks.” I shoved the kit into my bag. “What else?” Shinx barked and pulled on my blanket. “Ah, yes, it might get cold some nights.”

A tent, sleeping bag, and cooking supplies sat up beside the bed. “Right. We’ll need those too.” I packed them away with ease. Lastly, Shinx brought me his brush. We sorted everything else into either the keep box or the trash pile. “Ok, I think we’ve got everything. Good work, Shinx!” We high-fived.

We heard a knock on the door, and a head of spiky, blond hair poked through. “What’s with all the noise, Rosa? It’s the middle of the night!”

“Volt, did you really expect me to sleep?” I asked.

“Yes. Even the greatest of Pokémon Champions need to sleep,” Volt said.

“I already told you. I’m not tired!” I sat on the bed and clicked on the TV. Shinx jumped into my lap. “I’m too excited to sleep. I have so many things to do, Pokémon to catch, people to meet, places to see. Starting tomorrow, I won’t have time to sleep.”

He sat beside me and cheerfully threw an arm over my shoulder. “Want to know something, Sparkler?”

“Yeah?”

“I have no doubt that one day you’re going to be the strongest Trainer ever, maybe even tougher than I am.”

I stood on my bed, making a fist. “I’m already tougher than you!”

He chuckled, scratching Shinx’s head. “My point is that you know you’re going to be super strong and unbeatable one day, you and your Pokémon, but you’re still going to need to care about the small things of an ordinary life, like taking a shower, brushing your hair.” He pointed out my tangled hair, making me blush. “And sleeping.”

I frowned. “And talking to people?”

“Yes.” He held my chin and smiled. “I know you don’t trust people too often, but when it comes to going on a journey, you’ll find those few gems among all the rest. They’re the ones who’ll listen to no matter what you have to say, give you their shoulder to cry on, and be right at your side when you need them the most. It goes for Pokémon too, so if you want anyone like that to be in your life, you have to find them.”

My head slumped forward. “It doesn’t help that you won’t be there.”

“Oh, you’ll never be alone. You’ve got Shinx.”

Shinx nuzzled my chin. “But he’s not mine yet. I still need a Poké Ball.”

“Then you might want this.” He took a Poké Ball out of his pocket, a black one with red and gold rings on the top, bottom, and middle. It glimmered in the light of my desk lamp.

My heart trembled with happiness. “Volt...?!”

He loved my reaction. “I found this around the same time I gave you Shinx, and now that you’re a Trainer, well, here you go.”

Jumping off the bed, the ball found its way into my hands. “You’ve kept it all this time for me to catch Shinx?”

“Go ahead. Catch your first Pokémon.”

The pressure hit me like a truck, being able to actually catch a Pokémon!

I took a deep breath, placing Shinx on the bed and facing him. “Shinx, let’s go on lots of adventures together. I want to be the strongest Trainer, but I can’t do that without you.” I glanced up at Volt, who stared intently at my anxious smile. “This is our debut. Are you ready?”

Shinx happily barked.

Nodding, I stepped back. “Okay… Go Poké Ball!” I tossed the ball at the Pokémon, who smacked it with his forehead and went inside. The ball rattled three times and clicked to signal the catch succeeded. “I… I caught Shinx. I did it! Shinx is my Pokémon now!”

“Feels good, doesn’t it?” Volt said with a laugh.

I threw the Poké Ball into the air, calling out Shinx and catching him in my arms. “Shinx, I should’ve asked this too. You do want to come with me, don’t you...?” His response, he brushed his fluffy head against my cheek. The warmth of his fur made me cry. Overcome with joy, I fell down on my knees. I hugged my Pokémon tight and gazed up at my brother. “Thank you so much, Volt!”

“You’re welcome, Sparkler. Call it a birthday present.” He ruffled my hair. “Now promise me you’ll take good care of him.”

Shinx licked my face. “I absolutely promise! With you, Shinx, we’ll be the strongest team ever! What do you say?” He confidently bounced around.

“Then tell her to get some sleep. You two got a long day tomorrow.” Volt tucked me in beside Shinx, turning off the light and closing the door. I wanted to talk to Shinx more, but we ended up passing out in seconds.

★

The next morning, Volt and I stood just before the gate to the plane. Shinx sat on my head as my brother went over some last minute details. “You should be in Sandgem Town within a couple of hours,” he said, “and the Professor is having one of his assistants pick you up from the airport.

“Make sure to call me before you leave from there. Whether you head to Jubilife right away or want to take the next ship over to Johto or something, I still want to know.”

“Yes, I know all of that already, but why would I want to go to Johto?” I asked, adjusting the Pokétch on my wrist.

“Or  _ something _ . It’s just a thought, but with Pokémon, thoughts quickly become reality.”

“Well, either way, I promise to call. You shouldn’t worry about me though.”

“I just care about you, and when you care, you worry more than you’d like.”

“Don’t forget. I have Shinx with me.” Shinx barked at Volt.

He laughed. “Then Shinx has certainly got his hands full, huh? Make sure to watch over her. You know how she gets.” The Pokémon nodded.

I made a pouty face. “You both suck…”

A voice came from the speakers all around the airport. “ _ Last call for passengers boarding Flight 405 to Sandgem Town! _ ”

“That’s us. Got to go!” I lunged at my brother, squeezing him tight. “I love you, Volt.”

“I love you too, Sparkler. Now go, or you’ll miss it!” He gave me a light shove towards the plane. I raced up some steps, looking back and waving at Volt one final time before disappearing into the cabin.

Shinx picked a nice seat by the window for us. “Good pick,” I said, throwing my bag into the overhead bin. I sat down and buckled up before gluing my face to the window, easily spotting my brother’s spiky hair surrounded by a flock of fans. It made me a little upset to be leaving.

Feeling Shinx’s nose against the palm of my hand cleared away that sadness. When I stared at him, he frowned. “I’ll be fine. Thank you.” I squeezed him tight and watched him fall asleep in my arms. After we lifted into the sky, I followed suit, dreaming about the many possibilities awaiting my future.

★

The feeling of tires hitting the runway startled me awake. “We’re here!” As soon as they cleared the passengers to get up, I bolted outside with my bag slung over my shoulder and Shinx running at my side.

Leaving the airport, I stopped myself from wandering too far from the front doors. “Volt said that the Professor was sending one of his assistants. Keep a sharp eye out for some old guy in a lab coat.” Shinx stood on my head to get a better look. Soon enough, he tapped my head and pointed off to the side. “Lead the way.”

We met up with Professor Rowan’s assistant, some guy named Ian, and he drove us over to the lab. Its size startled me when I first stepped out of the car. “Wow! I bet there’s a lot of cool science stuff in there,” I said, following Ian inside.

“The Professor is still out running a few errands. He should be back in a bit,” Ian said. “I guess we’ve got to wait for the other Trainers anyways.”

“Other Trainers?” I asked.

“Oh, yeah, I guess you didn’t know. You’re one of three beginning Trainers today.”

I got excited. “Three? Who are the others?”

“Don’t know. The Professor never gave me any details about them. He did mention that the Trainers will all be receiving a Pokémon in addition to a Pokédex.”

“You mean one of the starter Pokémon? Turtwig, Chimchar, or Piplup, right?”

He laughed. “I see you do your homework. New Trainers in the Sinnoh region come here to get a Pokédex and a Pokémon unless they already have one.” He pointed at Shinx. “They can choose from the three you mentioned: Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup.”

“That’s so cool! Is there any chance I can see the Pokémon?”

“I see no trouble in that.” He paused when we heard the front doors open. “Oh, it looks like the second Trainer has just arrived.”

I turned around to find a boy with purple hair. He approached us, looking at Ian and bowing his head slightly. “Hello. The name’s Paul.”

“I’m Ian, one of Professor Rowan’s assistants. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Pleasure’s all mine. I’m here to get a starter Pokémon from Professor Rowan.”

“Sorry to bring bad news, but Professor Rowan isn’t here right now. I know you’ve waited a long time for this day, but I hope you don’t mind waiting a bit longer.”

Paul stuffed his hands into his coat pockets. “Well, I guess I have no choice then, do I?”

Watching Ian walk away, I turned to Paul. “So, hey, I’ll bet you were so excited last night you couldn’t sleep a wink. I was the same way.”

He stared at me, confusion written all over his face. “Who are you?”

“I’m Rosa from Sunyshore City. It’s nice to meet you.” I held out my hand.

It took a second, and then Paul laughed. “Sorry. I don’t shake hands with amateurs.”

Something snapped in the back of my mind. “What was that?”

“You heard me. You are a new Trainer, aren’t you?”

I raised an eyebrow. “And you aren’t?”

“Well, of course. I’m here to get a starter Pokémon, after all.”

“So what makes you different from me?”

“I have potential, but when I look at you, I can’t say the same.”

“Hey! Who are you to tell me that?”

“Just a fellow Trainer from Veilstone City.” He looked at my Shinx also getting angry with him. “You see, you and your Pokémon have no skill whatsoever.”

My head exploded in a fit of rage. “Hey! You can make fun of me all you want but don’t you dare talk that way about my Pokémon!!”

He put his hand in my face. “Whoa! Just calm down, girlie.”

“Don’t call me  _ girlie _ ! And I’ll show you I have some skills of my own!”

Paul grinned. “Are you challenging me to a battle?”

“You know it! As soon as you get your Pokémon.”

“Sounds convincing. Fine, you can battle me, as long as you know you’re going to lose.”

“In your dreams! My first battle is going to be my first win, you’ll see!”

“In that case, your opponent will need a Pokémon. Am I correct?” An older gentleman in a lab coat approached us. He had an intimidating expression, with a scruffy white mustache and hair. Ian stepped up behind him.

“Are you Professor Rowan?” Paul asked.

“Indeed, I am. I take it these kids are two of the new Trainers I’m to see today.”

“Right you are, sir. This is Rosa from Sunyshore City and Paul from Veilstone City. They arrived not too long ago,” Ian explained. “The third Trainer hasn’t shown up yet.”

“So it seems.”

“Does that mean we can’t get a Pokédex until they show up?” I asked.

“I’m afraid so,” Ian said. “Professor?”

He tapped a hand to his chin. “Well, the rule is I’m supposed to wait for  _ all _ Trainers to be present, but it’s also not fair to you both if someone else forgot to set their alarm. And something tells me that there’s a battle that needs to begin soon.”

“You bet!” Paul and I shouted, glaring at each other.

“You snooze you lose,” I laughed. Paul nodded his head.

“Then let’s get started, shall we?” The Professor turned to his assistant. “Ian, please go and bring in the starters. I’d like to give Paul a chance to meet his future partner before picking it.”

“Yes, sir!” Ian replied and hurried off.

“And I’ll return in a moment with everything else.” He walked off in another direction.

“Oh, this is so exciting! New Pokémon!” I squeaked. Shinx nodded his head in agreement.

“I don’t know why you’re happy. I’m the one that’s getting a Pokémon,” Paul said.

“Well, one of us has to be excited and it’s clearly not you.” He grunted. “The thought of meeting new Pokémon is super thrilling to me, even if I don’t get to catch them.”

“Do you know what Pokémon they are?”

“Of course I do. There's Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup. They're Grass, Fire, and Water-types, respectively. Do you have an idea which one you’re going to pick?”

“Not a clue. I just know I can’t pick the wrong one. That’s for sure.”

“And how exactly are you going to make sure you don’t pick the  _ wrong one _ ?”

“Simple. They always give new Trainers their Pokédex before the Pokémon, right? I’ll just scan each one and pick a Pokémon based on what moves they know.”

“That sounds like a waste of time.”

He scowled. “How would you do it then?”

“Well first off don’t worry about picking the wrong one. There’s no such thing.”

“Yes, there is—”

I cut him off. “And second, you pick the one that appeals to you most.”

“You mean to follow your gut?”

“Sure, yeah.”

“What kind of method is that?”

“It’s called being a Trainer. The Pokémon you pick today will stay with you forever, so it’s important that you pick the one you’re  _ able _ to stay with forever. Hence you go with your gut, and what your heart tells you to do, not your brain.”

We watched a door open. Ian walked out and gestured back at the door. “Ok, are you ready to meet them?”

I nodded back in excitement.

At his command, three little Pokémon sprinted up to us. The first looked like a green turtle with a brown shell and a leaf on its head, the second was an orange monkey with a tiny flame for a tail, and the third was a blue penguin with a cape on its back. “This is Turtwig the Grass-type, Chimchar the Fire-type, and Piplup the Water-type. While we wait for the professor to get back, you’re more than welcome to say hi.”

“They’re all so cute!”

“Definitely girlie,” Paul mumbled under his breath. I heard his comment, so I slammed my elbow into his stomach. “Ow!”

“Definitely rude!” I tried petting Turtwig, but it rejected my greeting. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you don’t like a nice head scratch?” When I scratched the top of its head, a smile fought its way onto its face. “See?” I pet Chimchar’s head with my other hand, who seemed like it would’ve rather gone and taken a nap than socialize. Noticing this, Turtwig slightly shoved Chimchar aside to get more attention. “You sure are a feisty one.”

Paul knelt down to pet Turtwig, surprising me.

Piplup pushed the others clear out of the way so it could get my full attention. “Clearly you are too.” It puffed out its chest, only to fall backward; it got back up very quickly. When I didn’t rub its head fast enough, Piplup grabbed my hand and placed it on its head. “And impatient.”

“Yeah, this is why I’m picking based on facts not bonds.”

“Are you sure that none of them appeal to you as of right now?”

“Not at all.” He kept quiet, though I caught him glancing at Turtwig more than the rest. I stayed silent about it.

Soon enough, Professor Rowan came back into the room. “I see you’ve all been acquainted, so now let’s move onto the fun stuff,” Rowan said. Ian gathered the three Pokémon and stood them up on a table side by side. “First, you both get a set of five Poké Balls, and your Pokédexes as well.”

“Here you are.” Ian held out a tray with ten Poké Balls and two Pokédexes.

Professor Rowan gestured to the Pokédexes. “You see, these will provide you with information about the various Pokémon you’re going to encounter while on your journeys. It’s a high-tech encyclopedia.” Someone painted my Pokédex a mix of light blue, black, and yellow, the colors of a Shinx. I giggled, thinking my brother must’ve been responsible. “And these are your Poké Balls, very useful items for carrying your Pokémon around in.”

“Thank you, sir!” I smiled as I tucked the items into my bag.

“Thank you very much!” Paul said, accepting a dark blue and grey Pokédex.

I gasped. “You have manners?”

He shot me a look. “What was that?”

Professor Rowan ignored our squabble. “And now, Paul, it’s time for you to choose your Pokémon.” We all turned to the three starters.

“Each one of them would be great to train, so it’s going to be one tough choice,” I said.

“Don’t forget I’m the one who gets to choose!” Paul snapped.

“Don’t worry. I know that, but if it was up to me, well, that’s a tough one.”

“Do you know which Pokémon you would like?” the Professor asked.

To my annoyance, Paul scanned the three Pokémon with his Pokédex, paying attention to their moves. When done, he put away his Pokédex. “Well, I’ve decided. I’m choosing Turtwig,” said Paul. Turtwig smirked, while Chimchar and Piplup both fell over in shock.

“Then here you go. You’ll need Turtwig’s Poké Ball.”

Paul accepted the Poké Ball and approached his new Pokémon. “Well, I know we just met each other so we can hardly say we’re friends, but I do want to get to know you better in order for both of us to become stronger. Would you like to come with me, Turtwig?” Turtwig nodded its head, letting itself into the Poké Ball.

“Well, you’ve got your Pokémon now,” I said.

Paul looked at me with a wide grin. “Still want to battle, huh?”

“I’m ready when you are. I’m going to become the Pokémon World Champion, and the way to do that is to beat Trainers like you!” Shinx jumped off my shoulder, fiercely staring at our opponent with determination in his eyes.

“Then it’s off to my backyard,” the Professor suggested.

★

We headed out to the grassy field behind the lab. Paul and I stood with a good thirty feet or so in between us, the standard length of a battlefield. To the left side, Ian stood. “I’ll be the referee for the match!” Ian announced.

I jumped up and down, thrilled to have my first battle. “Winning this will definitely be the kick start to my journey!” Shinx barked at me, pointing at my pocket. “Oh, right. Let’s try out this thing out.”

After a moment of holding the Pokédex in Shinx’s direction, the device automatically brought up a ton of data on him and his species. “ _ Shinx the Flash Pokémon. When Shinx flexes its muscles, it generates electricity. When sensing danger, its fur glistens. _ ”

“That’s so cool! You’re my first Pokémon and the first Pokémon in my Pokédex. We win this, and we’ll have our very first victory too.” Shinx nodded his head. However, I heard Paul snicker from across the field. “What’s so funny over there?”

“It’s just that you look so confident like you’re actually going to win,” Paul replied.

“It’s because I am going to win, even if I am at a disadvantage from the start!”

“We’ll see.”

Ian looked at both of us. “Are you two ready?”

“Yes!” We called back in unison.

“I’ll explain the rules then.” He cleared his throat. “The battle between Rosa and Paul will now begin. Both Trainers will use one Pokémon each, and the battle will be over when the Pokémon on either side is unable to continue. Begin!”

“Turtwig, stand by for battle!” Paul yelled as he threw the Poké Ball, and out came Turtwig.

I turned to my partner. “It’s showtime, Shinx! Let’s show him what we’re made of!” Shinx barked and leaped out in front of me, facing Turtwig.

“Rosa, since you’re going to lose, you can go first!”

“Wow, that’s so nice of you. Shinx use Tackle!” He raced towards Turtwig.

“Two can play at that game. Turtwig use Tackle!” Turtwig ran for Shinx. The two smashed into each other.

“While we’re stuck so close, Shinx use Bite!” Shinx made his two fangs glow.

“Turtwig use Withdraw!” Turtwig made its shell glow just as Shinx clamped down. He jumped back in pain.

I panicked over the state of my Pokémon. “Shinx!”

“Hit it with Razor Leaf!” Turtwig launched a barrage of sharp leaves, sending Shinx flying.

Shinx landed in front of me, looking hurt. “Oh no, Shinx! Are you alright?”

“Come on. That was easily! I expected a lot more than that.”

“Shinx, you’ve got to get up. Please!” He struggled to get back up.

“Turtwig, finish it with Tackle!” Turtwig charged.

“Please, Shinx! Get up!” I panicked more as Turtwig got closer. However, at the last second, Shinx popped onto his feet and jumped away, making Turtwig fly past him.

Shinx’s quick reaction time caught Paul by surprise. “No way! That was fast!”

“Good job! Now give them Spark!” Shinx surrounded himself in blue lightning and slammed into Turtwig, sending him flying back to his Trainer. “Awesome job!”

“You’re not going to win so easy. Razor Leaf!” Turtwig swung its head and fired Razor Leaf.

“Shock Wave!” Shinx growled and launched the blue lightning. Both attacks crashed into each other and caused a massive explosion. I braced myself to avoid getting blown off my feet.

When the explosion cleared, we found both Turtwig and Shinx lying on the ground clearly knocked out. “What?! Already?!” Paul and I screamed.

“Turtwig and Shinx are both unable to battle! This match is a draw!” Ian announced.

I walked over to Shinx and picked him up. “Thank you, Shinx. You did an awesome job, and to think that was your first battle. I’m so proud of you.” I touched my nose to him, making him purr.

Paul picked up his Turtwig. “That was good for a first battle. We’ll work on it.”

“Hey, thanks for the battle, Paul.” He didn’t say anything back, just stared at me. “What’s wrong?”

He scoffed. “Nothing. I just wish that battle ended differently.”

I grinned. “I guess you’re not as strong as you thought.”

“The same goes for you,” I made an irritated growl, “but, either way, don’t get used to our tie. We’ll battle again another day, probably the Pokémon League. Maybe sooner. I’m kind of looking forward to it.” He held out a hand.

Registering his words, I smiled and shook his hand. “Count on it, mister.”

“Professor, thanks for letting us battle here. I appreciate it.” Paul gave a bow to Professor Rowan.

“It was my pleasure,” replied Professor Rowan.

“Where are you heading to now, Paul?” Ian asked.

“The Kanto region.”

“Kanto?” I repeated. “You’re not traveling around the Sinnoh region first?”

“Nah. My brother is taking on one of the Kanto Frontier Brains and I’m gonna watch his battle. I figured afterward I’d start my journey there.” He looked over at me. “If you didn’t plan to go anywhere else, you should come. There’s a boat leaving the docks later today.”

I was shocked. “You want me to come?”

“Well, I would like to have another battle with you soon. Can’t do that so easily if you’re in another region, now can I?” He turned and walked away without another word, leaving me to my thoughts.

“One thing’s for sure. On a Pokémon journey, you meet all sorts of people, and Pokémon, so anything can happen.” I looked back at the Professor, who caught my confused expression. “My dear, you just made a rival, which is one of the many things that can happen on a journey. What do you think of it so far?”

It took me a second to respond. “It’s wonderful, sir! Better than I ever imagined.” I stared in the direction that Paul left. “And if going on a journey means meeting interesting people like him, I never want it to end.” Shinx agreed with a cry.

“Well then, young lady, where are you off to now?”

Without hesitation, “the Kanto region,” is what I blurted out.

The Professor nodded his head. “That’ll be a long haul, but definitely full of new experiences and discoveries worth every second. Plus lots of different people.”

I nodded my head back. “Oh, do you mind if I use your phone?”

I called Volt to give him an update. I talked about meeting Paul and Professor Rowan, having my very first Pokémon battle, and deciding to go to Kanto. He sounded totally bummed we wouldn’t be having a battle for a while, but seemed nonetheless happy for me and wished me the best of luck. In return, I told him he was the best big brother ever.

I stood outside the lab with Professor Rowan and Ian. Shinx sat on my head, feeling better after a short nap. “When you arrive in Kanto, I recommend heading over to Pallet Town before anything else. My colleague, Professor Oak, lives there. He’ll be able to give you some good advice about the region.”

My eyes popped out of their sockets. “You mean  _ the _ Professor Oak? The famous creator of the Pokédex Professor Oak?!”

Professor Rowan chuckled. “That’s the one, and speaking of the Pokédex, I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to update yours with information on Kanto Pokémon. Right now, it only contains data on species found in Sinnoh.”

I gasped and looked up. “Hear that, Shinx?! We get to meet Professor Oak! Isn’t that exciting?” He happily barked.

“Please say hello to Professor Oak for me as well, if you don’t mind.”

I grinned. “I have to go visit him now. Well, I better be off then!”

“Take care!” Both men waved me off. I waved back before racing into town.

Shinx and I easily found the ship to Kanto, the only vessel docked at Sandgem Pier. I booked a stateroom with a single bed and a private balcony, and we rushed to check it out. Shinx bounced on the bed while I collapsed on it, enjoying the soft sheets and pillows. Then I stepped out onto the balcony. Our room’s position provided a beautiful view of an orange sunset over crystal-clear water.

I loved feeling the wind through my hair. “This is the life.” Shinx climbed onto the railing beside me. “I’m glad I decided to go on a journey. Don’t you agree?” He nodded his head.

We stayed in our room until the ship finally set sail. After the captain gave a few words on our voyage, I felt ready to get up and do something. “Well, what should we do first? The time suggests dinner, or we could go see if Paul’s here.” An angry growl from Shinx’s stomach voted for food. I laughed at Shinx’s embarrassed face. “Something tells me the better option is food. So let’s go!”

Rooming on the lido deck, we simply headed down the hall to get to the dining area. For not a very big ship, Shinx and I found a few hundred people at least. Most looked like Trainers of varied experience levels, talking about all things Pokémon or showing off. Waiters bustled about serving food and drink. A band played live music on a stage. “Wow! It’s a Pokémon pool party out here,” I gasped.

Shinx asked where to go for food.

“Not sure. There are so many choices. I expected just a simple buffet, not the massive selection you’d get on a cruise. The ticket wasn't very expensive, so why does it seem like we booked a ticket to Hawaii?”

A voice said, “I’m pretty sure you didn’t if you ended up on this boat.” I turned to find Paul approaching us. His Turtwig sat on his shoulder. “Actually, I didn’t expect you to show up on this boat, Girlie.”

“It’s Paul.” I got furious. “And don’t call me that!”

“Whatever.” Turtwig and Shinx jumped onto the ground to greet each other. Paul shoved his hands into his pockets. “So, have you eaten?”

“We were actually on our way now, but then I got startled by the selection. Anything look good to you?”

“There’s a deli just past the buffet line. The sandwiches looked decent.”

I gestured. “Lead the way.”

Paul and I bought two turkey, bacon, and avocado sandwiches and found a table away from all the commotion. Shinx and Turtwig enjoyed the peace and quiet, but not so much sharing their dinner: a huge bowl of Oran, Sitrus, and Pecha Berries.

When Shinx pouted over having to share, I rubbed his head. “It’s just for today. Once we make it to Kanto, I’ll stock up on fresh supplies and work on a food recipe just for you. Sound good?” Shinx smiled and begrudgingly ate his meal alongside Turtwig.

“Mind if I ask something, Girlie?” Paul asked.

Picking off the onions from my sandwich, I flung a sliver at his face. “Only if you stop calling me that!”

He wiped at his face with a napkin. “Don’t throw onions. What are you, five?”

I gestured to the sandwich. “Duh. I’m picking the onions off. Have you ever heard of a child actually liking onions? They’re disgusting.”

Paul rolled his eyes. “You’re ridiculous.”

Ignoring his disappointed scowl, I took a huge bite out of my sandwich. I chewed thoroughly and swallowed, and then said, “So, what did you want to ask me?”

“You said you were going to become the Pokémon World Champion. What is that?”

Hearing that, I grinned like a madman. “Oh, it’s something I made up myself. It’s the title beyond a Pokémon Regional Champion. You win it by defeating all current Champions in full six on six battles. If you defeat the strongest Trainers in all the regions, then, of course, you should be known as the strongest Trainer in the world, right? After all, I want to be...the very best!" I rose to my feet and cheered loudly, alongside Shinx. People nearby gave me funny looks.

“So you’ll be entering the Kanto League then, right?”

“Well, obviously, as in order to even have a shot at battling the Champions, I have to collect eight Gym Badges from every region." I sat back down. "What about you?”

He stared at his food. “I haven’t decided yet. I don’t even have a reason for going on a journey in the first place.”

“Well, there must be a reason. Maybe you just haven’t found it yet.”

He nodded his head. “Guess you’re right. Watching my brother battling tomorrow might just give me an answer.”

“All the more reason to get there faster.”

He finished his sandwich and stood up. “Well, I’ll be seeing you.”

“See ya, Paul.”

“Turtwig, let’s get going.” With that, Paul and his Pokémon disappeared for the rest of the night.

“He sure is interesting, don’t you think?” I stretched my arms and yawned. “Well, I guess we should get back to our room. We got a journey to plan.” Shinx jumped up and down excited for the adventures awaiting us in Kanto.

We retired to our room, discussing where to go in the morning. “Before anything, we have to pay a visit to Professor Oak in Pallet Town. He’s the creator of the Pokédex and one of the world’s top experts on Pokémon. At the very least, Professor Rowan said he should be able to update our Pokédex with information on Kanto Pokémon. No doubt he might provide us with other useful advice,” I said. Shinx nodded his head.

“After that, we start collecting Gym Badges right away. We're going to need a map of the region to figure out the closest Gym from Pallet Town. A local store should have some for sale, or maybe the Professor will have one. Does that sound good?” Shinx looked content with the plan.

When it was dark enough outside, I closed the curtains, changed into pajamas, and climbed into bed with a bowl of popcorn and Shinx at my side. We stayed up watching recordings of Pokémon battles. The thrill of battle easily kept me awake, at least through the popcorn. Once I finished, I set the bowl aside and fell asleep in seconds.


	2. A Pallet-Able Meeting

A foghorn blew, and you couldn’t get me out of bed faster. I jumped into my clothes, packed up, and raced out onto the main deck. The land spread out as far as the eye could see. “There it is, Shinx, the Kanto region! I don’t know about you, but I’m psyched.”

When the ship docked, we skipped off, unable to hold back our excitement. “Ok, it’s time to go see Professor Oak!” I needed to know where to go, so I asked a woman near the front gate. “Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to Pallet Town from here?”

“Ah, you must be going to see Professor Oak. Well, you’re in luck as it’s only a short walk from here. All you have to do is follow that path.” She pointed to a dirt trail heading away from the harbor. “You should be there in no time.”

“Thank you, ma'am!” I sprinted away.

★

Within no time at all, we came across the open fields of Pallet Town. “WOW!” We stood on a hill overlooking the quiet town. It was mostly trees, grass, and dirt trails with a few houses in between. It looked tranquil and peaceful. “Nothing like the hustle and bustle of Sunyshore. I love it!”

On the far side of town, we saw a big hill covered in trees with a stone pathway going up the side. A house with a massive wind turbine sat on top watching over the town. “That’s got to be Professor Oak’s lab. Let’s go!”

As we headed to the lab, we came upon a bit of a problem. Someone crashed into me. It felt like being hit by a train. I glared at the attacker: a boy my age with messy, black hair. He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed. “Hey, watch where you’re going, kid!” I growled at him.

“Sorry!” He quickly helped me onto my feet. “I'm kind of in a hurry so bye. Nice meeting you!” He ran off, calling back to me, “I really am sorry!” The kid quickly disappeared.

“Well, he was in a hurry. I wonder where he's going.” Shinx jumped on my shoulder and barked.

Getting to the lab, an enormous crowd gathered at the base of the steps leading up the hill. My natural curiosity got the better of me, so we asked the closest person. “What's going on?” I asked a girl about my age.

“A new guy’s starting his journey today. Oh, he's going to be such a strong Trainer, I know it. So cool and handsome! Look! There he is!” The girl’s voice spiked in volume to match the screams of her crazed friends.

A young boy stood on a red convertible, addressing his fan club. “Thank you! Thank you to everyone who came to witness such an extraordinary event! It’s a huge honor! I, Gary Oak, will promise to become a Pokémon Master and make Pallet Town known all around the world! Now with my new Pokémon,” he spun a Poké Ball in his hand, “I am off to learn the ways of a Pokémon Trainer!” A group of cheerleaders sang a quick cheer before Gary got in his car and drove away.

The crowd chased after Gary, leaving me in the dust, literally. I coughed to clear my throat. “Who the heck was that?”

A voice replied, “Gary Oak. Don’t ever trust anything he says. He’s a lying sack of—”

Recognizing the person, my eyes popped out of my head. “Hey, you’re that kid that ran into me!” There was no mistaking his spiky hair.

“Sorry, who?”

That didn’t sit well with me. “Do you not remember the girl you so rudely crashed into a few minutes ago? I’d be more than happy to remind you!” I lunged at him.

“Wait! Wait!” He raised his arms in defense, forcing me to stop. “I do remember. Yeah, I do. I apologized for that already, didn’t I? I’ll repeat it to be sure! Sorry!”

I crossed my arms and huffed. “Apology not accepted.”

“Well, that’s all you’re going to get. I don’t have time to talk right now. I have to go see—”

An old man approached us and said, “See who?”

“Oh, Professor Oak! I’m here for my Pokémon!” The boy smiled gleefully.

My eyes widened. “Professor Oak?” I gasped under my breath. It blew me away to be standing in the presence of one of the most accomplished Pokémon researchers in history.

“Your Pokémon?” asked Professor Oak to the boy.

He vigorously nodded. “Yes, I’m ready.”

“You look like you’re ready for bed, not for Pokémon Training. I don’t think you’re going to train in your pajamas.”

My theory from earlier confirmed, I stifled a laugh. He shot a glare in my direction. “Uh, no, you don’t understand. I got mixed up this morning, and I was a little late, but believe me when I say: I’m ready for a Pokémon!”

“Ah, then you must be Ash.”

He replied with a very cheerful, “That’s me!”

“You are a little late, indeed.” Then the Professor looked at me. “And you must be Rosa, correct?”

That surprised me. “How’d you know?”

“Professor Rowan gave me a phone call just the other day and told me to be expecting you. He suggested giving you some useful info on the Kanto region and its Pokémon. I am more than happy to oblige.”

“Really? That’d be awesome, Professor. Thank you!”

“Let’s get going, then.” The Professor turned and started up the stairs to his lab.

Following behind him, Ash grabbed my attention. “Hey, uh, about earlier, I really am sorry for crashing into you. My alarm clock broke this morning, so I woke up late. I was in such a rush to get here that I wasn’t paying attention at all. Sorry.”

I gave a smile. “That’s alright. It’s not entirely your fault. I should’ve been paying attention too. I appreciate the apology though, and I’m sorry I nearly pummeled you earlier.”

“Friends, then?”

“Only if you tell me your name. A proper introduction never hurts.”

“I’m Ash.”

“My name’s Rosa.” Shinx barked at me. I laughed and picked him up. “Oh yeah, this is my partner, Shinx.”

“What kind of Pokémon is that? I've never seen one like that before.”

Shinx climbed onto my head to get a better look at Ash. “I'm not surprised. I don’t think you see a lot of them here in Kanto. We're both from Sunyshore City, in the Sinnoh region.”

“Sinnoh?”

“Yeah. It’s a bit far from Kanto, to the south, I think. I can’t imagine you’ve ever been there.”

“Sorry, I haven’t.”

“Well, I do recommend going one day. It’s a wonderful place to go with all sorts of awesome things to do and neat Pokémon. Of course, Shinx is the best of them all. You can pet him if you want.”

“Really?” Ash reached out to touch Shinx, but he snapped at Ash’s hand. “Hey, what was that for?”

“He must still be mad about you crashing into us.” I glared up at Shinx. “You should know better than to snap at people like that. Ash is our friend now. Be nice.” Shinx bowed his head in guilt. “Try it again.”

Ash reached out his hand again. “Hi, Shinx. I’m Ash Ketchum. I promise I won’t hurt you.” Despite some reluctance at first, Shinx melted into the palm of Ash’s hand. Then Shinx jumped onto Ash’s shoulder and nuzzled his furry head against his cheek. “That tickles.”

I laughed. “He likes you, Ash. You must be good with Pokémon.”

Professor Oak welcomed us into his home. The first floor contained the living quarters: a common room, a study, one or two bedrooms, and a kitchen. The Professor kept all his fancy tech upstairs on the research floor. The heart of the laboratory, the second floor included several machines and equipment used for the Professor’s research. Windows sat on the far wall with an inner balcony providing a magnificent view of the fields surrounding the lab.

According to Professor Oak, those fields are together called the Oak Corral, a natural environment he created for Pokémon development and research. All sorts of different species live on those fields, giving him the unique opportunity to study natural Pokémon behavior up close.

Professor Oak asked to see my Pokédex, offering to update it. He went off to do that and also make some preparations for Ash to start his journey. While he did, Ash, Shinx, and I waited around together. I told him about just starting the day before, and about my first Pokémon battle ending in a tie.

The three of us went out onto the balcony to get a look at the Oak Corral. Shinx and I saw all sorts of Pokémon we’d never seen before, piquing my curiosity to the point where I could hardly contain my excitement. I desperately wanted Professor Oak to finish so I could head out as soon as possible.

Ash and I discussed starter Pokémon as well. The three Pokémon you can get in Kanto are Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, and Ash would be picking one of them. “And are those Pokémon the traditional Grass-type, Fire-type, and Water-type, in that order?” I asked.

He nodded. “That’s right. I’m guessing it’s like that back in your region?”

“Yeah.” I glanced over at Shinx. “And if it’s that way for two regions, it must be the same for all other regions too.”

“Speaking of tradition,” I looked back at him, “I hope this doesn’t sound rude, but Shinx isn’t a usual starter, right? He’s not either of the three types. How’d you start your journey with him?”

Turning to my beloved Pokémon, I answered, “Shinx is my best friend.”

Ash seemed a little baffled by my response. “Your best friend?”

“My brother gave him to me for my fifth birthday. We’re inseparable. We get along so well, and we do everything together. The moment I decided to become a Pokémon Trainer, my first Pokémon had already been decided for me.” Shinx licked my face and bumped his forehead into my chin. “It’s true that Trainers starting their journeys with Pokémon aside from the standard three is a bit strange, but I never cared about that. I only cared about accomplishing my dreams with my best friend in the whole world.”

After a moment, Ash said, “That’s pretty amazing of you, Rosa, picking your friend over what anyone else might think. You two really seem like a great team.”

I fought back a blush. “Thanks, Ash...”

Professor Oak stepped over to us. “You’ll find that the most important thing for a Pokémon and Trainer is how much they care about each other. If you remember that, there’s no doubt you’ll grow stronger.”

We nodded our heads.

“So can I pick my Pokémon now?” Ash asked.

“Right over here.” He showed us a table with three Poké Balls.

Ash looked super psyched. He reached for a Poké Ball with a water drop on the front. “I thought about it a lot, and it took me a long time, but I finally decided who to choose as my Pokémon. Squirtle!” He opened the Poké Ball.

“It’s...empty?” I muttered.

“Already taken by someone who was on time,” said the Professor, folding his arms.

Ash grabbed a second Poké Ball, one with a leaf symbol. “I wish I hadn’t overslept, but now I will choose as my Pokémon: Bulbasaur.”

Professor Oak rubbed his chin. “That one was also taken by a kid who wasn’t late.”

Though very disappointed, Ash’s optimism never wavered. “Well, that’s no problem because my Pokémon will be Charmander.” The last Poké Ball had a flame symbol, and again, it was empty!

“The early bird gets the worm, or in this case, the Pokémon.”

Ash looked so heartbroken. “Does this mean all the Pokémon are gone?”

“Well, there is still one more left but I—”

“Professor, I’ll take it!”

Reluctantly, Professor Oak pressed a button. A fourth Poké Ball rolled onto the table. It had an exciting symbol on the front. “A lightning symbol? An Electric-type?!” I gasped, resisting the urge to open the Poké Ball and see for myself.

“I have to warn you. There is a problem with this last one,” said the Professor.

“I have to have a Pokémon!” Ash replied.

“Well, in that case…” He handed the Poké Ball over to Ash.

The Poké Ball opened and from it emerged a small yellow mouse Pokémon. My eyes lit up in excitement. “It’s a Pikachu!” I smiled.

“Correct,” Professor Oak said.

“It’s so cute! It’s the best of all,” Ash said.

“You’ll see,” muttered the Professor.

Ash picked up Pikachu. “Hi, Pikachu!” He hugged the Pokémon. It shocked him.

“It’s also known as the Electric Mouse Pokémon. It’s usually shy but can sometimes have an electrifying personality.”

Pikachu finally stopped zapping its Trainer, who coughed out, “I see what you mean…”

“Shocking, isn’t it?” Then Professor Oak pulled out a handful of Poké Balls and a Pokédex, which looked a bit different from mine. “Now take these, your Pokédex and Poké Balls.”

“Thank—” Pikachu started shocking Ash again, and this time it zapped Professor Oak too. “YOU!”

“YOU’RE WELCOME!!”

“That’s an Electric-type,” I grinned. Shinx nodded his head.

Pikachu finished its attack and looked over at Shinx. The two greeted each other.

Professor Oak also returned my Pokédex. “Rosa, I believe this is yours. It now contains information on all the Pokémon found in Kanto that it didn’t contain before.”

To test, I pointed the Pokédex at Pikachu. “ _Pikachu the Mouse Pokémon. Pikachu can generate electric attacks from the electric pouches located in its cheeks. It raises its tail to sense its surroundings, and sometimes gets struck by lightning while doing so._ ”

“Thank you so much, Professor!” The Pokédex claimed its permanent spot in my jacket pocket.

We all exited the lab, going down the long flight of stairs to the front gate. Pikachu zapped Ash a few times along the way. At the bottom, we found a small group of supporters with banners wishing Ash luck on his journey. Despite not containing nearly as many fans as Gary’s cheer squad, it still impressed me that Ash drew this big a crowd.

A lady stood at the front with a tearful smile. “Mom!” Ash gasped in surprise.

She approached us. “Oh, Ash, I’m so proud of you. You’re finally going to fulfill your dream and start your Pokémon training, but I’m going to miss you so very much. Oh, my little boy!”

“How nice,” I jokingly whispered to Shinx.

Then Ash’s mother opened the green bag in her arms and unloaded tons of stuff into her son’s arms. “I packed your sneakers and jeans, nice clean shirts and underwear, and your favorite snacks and some hot chocolate in case you want something hot, but be careful not to burn yourself! There are some rubber gloves to do your laundry, a new clothesline to hang it up to dry, and…”

Ash must’ve heard me laughing because he quickly snatched the backpack away from his mother. “Mom, you’re embarrassing me in front of all these people here. Don’t you know I’m a big kid now? Pokémon Trainers can take care of themselves, you know.”

“I understand.” She then looked down at Shinx. “Is that your Pokémon?”

“Oh, no, that’s not my Pokémon. That’s Shinx, who belongs to Rosa.” He pointed at me.

I waved. “Hi, Mrs. Ketchum. I’m Rosa. I just met Ash earlier today. It’s nice to meet you.”

She smiled and clapped her hands together. “Oh, it’s wonderful to meet you too. I can see you’re already making friends, Ash. Are you a new Pokémon Trainer, too, dear?”

“That’s right.”

“Well then please try to help my son as best you can. He needs a lot of help when it comes to laundry, and I don’t want—”

“Mom! That’s enough!” Ash yelled. I held my stomach in laughter.

“Oh, sorry. Then that one must be your Pokémon.” She looked at Pikachu.

“Yep, that’s my Pokémon.” Pikachu saw Ash’s gaze and turned away. “Well, with Pikachu at my side, I’ll get all the Pokémon in the world.”

“I thought all Pokémon stayed inside their Poké Balls. Why doesn’t this one?”

“Oh yeah,” Ash said. He grabbed Pikachu’s Poké Ball. “Pikachu, get in the ball now.” He threw the ball, but Pikachu hit it back with its tail. Looking surprised, he tried again; Pikachu kept hitting the ball back with its tail.

“Oh, you’re playing catch! You’re friends already!” said Mrs. Ketchum.

“Uh, sure.” Ash picked up Pikachu. “Pikachu and I are real pals. Aren’t we?"

“But, it’s a little weird.”

“Weird?” Pikachu got annoyed. I stood back and watched Pikachu zap the entire crowd.

“Those rubber gloves your mom packed will come in handy!” I warned.

“WHY?!” Ash screamed.

“Rubber blocks electricity!”

“GREAT!” Pikachu stopped attacking, and everyone collapsed on the ground.

Mrs. Ketchum coughed out, “Don’t forget to change your underwear every single day.”

Ash hid his embarrassed face while Pikachu smiled.

After that ordeal, Mrs. Ketchum and her crew all went home. Ash wanted to follow her, needing to get back to his house and make sure not to forget anything important. “Like changing out of your pajamas?” I teased.

“Yes, like that,” he admitted with a shameful grin. “Are you heading out?”

“Yeah. I want to start my Pokémon training right away.”

“Well, I’ll see you soon then, I’m sure.”

“Definitely, and next time we meet, what do you say to a battle? Shinx against Pikachu?”

Ash burst with a level of confidence I’ve never seen in anyone. “Count on it.”

I shook his hand. After Shinx did the same with Pikachu, I looked at him. “That means we’ve got to start training, Shinx. Let’s go!” We waved to Ash and his Pokémon before going our separate ways.

We left town, passing a small signpost along the dirt trail:

← _Route 1_ || _Pallet Town →_

“Route 1, huh? Hopefully, it’s not too far to the next town,” I said, looking up ahead. We couldn’t see a city on the horizon, just trees and more trees.

Shinx howled at me, suggesting that we go back, find a store, and get a map.

I shook my head. “That’d take too long to go back, and what if they didn’t have one? I suppose asking Professor Oak is an option, but then I’d be causing him too much trouble. I’m sure we just have to get through that forest.” I pointed at the trees up ahead. “So we’re fine. Just relax.”

My Pokémon didn’t seem very relaxed.

“Oh, quit worrying. We don’t have time for it. Besides, isn’t this super exciting? Venturing into the wilderness, and feeling the air in your fur like that?” I paused to let the breeze play with my hair. “I’m so glad I decided to become a Pokémon Trainer.”

Shinx nodded, marching ahead to be the leader of our two-man troupe.

Feeling the wind pick up for a moment, I looked at the sky. Grey clouds slowly rolled in over our heads. “Hmm. Hopefully, it won’t storm too bad before we reach the next town.” I considered recalling Shinx to his Poké Ball. Replaying Mrs. Ketchum’s words in my head, it became a sure thing.

“You know, Shinx, you should probably go into your Poké Ball to rest. It looks like a long walk, and it’ll suck if it gets all muddy from the rain. I’ll call you out when I’ve found a Pokémon to battle.” I held out his Poké Ball.

Shinx glared at the ball and angrily shook his head.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you want to relax for a bit?” He shook his head again. “Is something wrong with the Poké Ball? I mean, all Pokémon are supposed to stay inside their Poké Balls, aren’t they? Even the Pokédex says so.”

I took out my Pokédex and asked about Poké Balls. “ _While being trained, a Pokémon usually stays inside its Poké Ball._ ”

“You see?” Shinx jumped up and pressed a button.

The Pokédex continued, “ _However, there are exceptions. Some Pokémon hate being confined._ ”

“Just like Ash’s Pikachu. Well, okay. You win this one.” Shinx barked happily. “I do have one rule, though. If we ever get in a dangerous situation, and I tell you to get inside, you’re not allowed to refuse. Deal?” Hesitantly, he nodded.

Suddenly, a small bird jumped out in our path. I recognized it as one of the Pokémon living at Professor Oak’s lab. “A Pidgey right off the bat? It’s our lucky day, Shinx.”

The Pidgey didn’t seem to notice us. It pecked at the ground searching for a snack.

“Shinx, go get it!” Shinx growled and prepared to fight. “Tackle!” Shinx dashed forward.

Alarmed by my shout, Pidgey lifted into the air and flapped its wings to create a gust of wind. The small twister immobilized Shinx. “Hold on, Shinx! Go, Poké Ball!” I chucked an empty Poké Ball. Pidgey quickly dodged the toss and flew away.

Reclaiming my empty Poké Ball, I fell down beside Shinx. We checked the Pokédex for information on Pidgey. “ _Pidgey the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Among all flying Pokémon, it is the gentlest and easiest to capture. It’s a perfect target for the beginning Pokémon Trainer to test her Pokémon’s skills._ ”

Shinx and I both sighed. “I wish this beginning Trainer caught it…”

A purple rat suddenly emerged from a patch of grass nearby. Also recognizing it from the Oak Corral, I rose to my feet. “We’ll get it this time! Shinx use Shock Wave!” Shinx jumped into the air and blasted the other Pokémon with a jolt of blue electricity. It fell down and struggled to get back up. “Tackle!” Shinx launched himself at Rattata.

The rodent leaped out of the way of Shinx’s attack just in time. I prepared to deal with the dodge, throwing a Poké Ball just after it jumped. “You’re not getting away!” My Poké Ball sucked the rat inside.

Racing over, the Poké Ball shook twice. I crossed my fingers praying for a successful catch. Unfortunately, Rattata burst out of the ball. It kicked up sand in our faces to blind Shinx and then made its escape.

I rushed to Shinx’s side, using my sleeve to clear away the sand in his eyes. “This should help. There. You can open your eyes now.” He slowly cracked them open and then made an irritated cry. “I’m sorry. I guess it’s not our lucky day…”

Shinx pawed my side. He pointed his tail at a small hill nearby. Bird feathers stuck out of the grass, probably someone else looking for a snack. “I wonder if that’s Pidgey? Dex?”

My Pokédex replied, “ _No Pokémon found._ ”

“Is the grass blocking it, or is it maybe too far? Well, Pidgey or not, we’ll catch it anyways. Shinx use Swift!” Shinx lit up his tail and spun his body in a circle, launching a barrage of gold stars. The attack made a direct hit, but the attacked Pokémon turned out to definitely not be a Pidgey. It glared over at us, a bump appearing on its head. “What’s that?”

My Pokédex answered, “ _Spearow. It has a terrible attitude, unlike Pidgey. It is very wild and will sometimes attack other Pokémon and humans._ ”

Suddenly, Spearow swooped down and tried hitting Shinx with Peck. He narrowly dodged. “Swift, once more!” Shinx launched another set of gold stars.

Spearow spun around and flapped its wings to create a strong gust of wind. The stars got blown right back in Shinx’s face, dealing plenty of damage. Spearow finished him off by pecking him multiple times. After Shinx got thrown into my arms, making me fall over, the wild Pokémon flew away.

I pouted. “Man, this is so much harder than I thought. No way are we going to catch any new Pokémon if this keeps up.”

Shinx crawled out of my lap. Then, he yelled at me and insisted on not giving up.

“He’s right, you know,” said a voice.

Jumping out of my skin, I sprung onto my feet. We found a boy standing behind us with black hair, glasses, and an apron. He seemed about as old as my brother. “Where the heck did you come from?!”

The boy grinned and rubbed his head. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sneak up on you. I just saw you trying to catch Pokémon and thought you might be a new Trainer.”

I whispered to my Pokémon, “Is it that obvious?” Shinx nodded. I looked back at the newcomer and scowled. “Just how long have you been standing there anyway?”

“Since you tried catching that Pidgey.”

“That’s a long time.” Getting defensive, my glare intensified. “You some kind of creep or something?”

He nervously waved his hands. “What? No, I’m not creeping or anything, I promise. I was just on my way to Pallet Town. Look.” He retrieved a small package from his satchel. “I’m delivering this. I work at the Poké Mart in Viridian City.”

My ears perked up. “Does that mean Viridian City isn’t too far?!”

“Just a walk past those trees.” He pointed behind him. Then, his face grew a smile, and he bowed slightly in my direction. “I should introduce myself. My name’s R—” He suddenly paused.

The way he froze earned a funny look from me. “Something wrong?” I asked.

After a second, the boy cleared his throat and nervously adjusted his glasses. “Uh, you can just call me Green.”

“Green,” I repeated. A giggle escaped my lips. “That’s a funny name.”

Green seemed a little hurt. “What? What’s wrong with my name?”

I waved a hand. “Oh. Nothing’s wrong with it. You just never hear people being named colors these days. Actually, I’ve only ever known one other person with a color name. It’s unique.”

Grumbling, he folded his arms. “Unique in a good or bad way?”

I shook my head. “A good way.”

“Yeah, right.” He cleared his throat again. “Anyways, I noticed your unsuccessful attempts to catch Pokémon. Sorry to be blunt, but from the beginning, I could tell that you don’t have much experience yet. You and your Pokémon weren’t in sync.”

“Not in sync? That’s ridiculous! Shinx and I are the best team ever! Right, pal?” Shinx agreed with a loud bark.

Green knelt down, motioning for Shinx to approach with an outstretched hand. “Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you.” The blue cub hesitantly stepped forward. He sniffed the boy’s hand once before melting into his palm, earning his favorite scratch behind the ears.

My eyes popped out of their sockets. _No way!_ _That fast?!_ It made me give the boy a curious look. _Does Shinx know him from somewhere?_

“Tell me something,” Green said softly. “Have you had a battle yet with Shinx?”

“What? Oh. Yeah, just one though.”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to battle you.” He retrieved a Poké Ball from his pocket and showed it to me. “A one-on-one?”

Surprised, I gazed at him. “Why?”

He shrugged. “I’m a Pokémon Trainer too, and I want to see what you two can do. Don’t worry. I’m not that good.”

Exchanging looks with my Pokémon, I confidently smirked and nodded. “Okay. We accept your challenge—”

“But first!” Green barked, startling me. “You never told me your name.”

“Oh. It’s Rosa. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too. Now…” He took several steps backward and then tossed the ball into the air. “Shall we begin?” A Bulbasaur appeared on the grass before him. The Pokémon yawned and stretched its legs.

Remembering what Ash told me, discouraging thoughts swarmed my mind. “This’ll be tough. Grass Pokémon are resistant to electric-type attacks,” I muttered. Shinx worried over the same problem.

“You can have the first attack, Rosa!”

“So then we just won’t use any! Start with Swift!” Shinx jumped and launched the attack from his tail.

To my surprise, Bulbasaur dodged the attack without a command. “Tackle!” Bulbasaur raced for Shinx.

My Pokémon looked to me for an order. “Forget what I said! Shock Wave!” Shinx jumped into the air again and shot blue lightning at Bulbasaur. It dodged again.

Green smirked. “I’m afraid that’s a miss!”

I focused on Shinx. “Calm down! Take your time!” Before he could react, Bulbasaur suddenly crashed into my Pokémon with its hard head. Shinx fell back on the ground and quickly got back to his feet. “Spark!” Covering his body in electricity, Shinx charged at his opponent. Bulbasaur jumped to the side, letting Shinx run right past him. “Spark once more!”

“Tackle!” Bulbasaur flung its body into Shinx, sending him flying again.

“What’s the matter? Use Swift!” Shinx struggled to get back up. “Get up! Hurry!”

Green didn’t seem the type to give us a chance to attack. “Razor Leaf!”

Shinx launched Swift too. Unfortunately, the stars got easily overpowered by Bulbasaur’s leaves, resulting in a powerful hit to Shinx’s face. I only got more frustrated. “I don’t get it. Why didn’t you dodge?”

“Is that all you got? Razor Leaf again!” Bulbasaur fired another barrage of leaves.

Shinx dodged and backed off from his opponent. “Don’t just run away! Come on and use Swift!” Before he had a chance to attack, its opponent fired one final Razor Leaf. While distracted, Shinx got hit with a Tackle attack and pinned to the ground. “Ah! Shinx!”

“That’s good enough, Bulbasaur!” Green suddenly called. Bulbasaur listened to its trainer and backed off.

I rushed over and cradled Shinx in my arms. “Shinx, are you okay?” He nodded.

With the battle resulting in a win for Green, he knelt down beside Bulbasaur and pet its head. “Great work. Thank you.” It happily cried back.

“Not _that_ good, huh?” I grumbled.

“Not really. I just caught this Bulbasaur in Viridian Forest.”

“And I’ve had Shinx since I was five, so that battle should’ve been mine.”

“Except that I won. Clearly, something’s off if a newbie by myself just won a battle against a veteran like you.”

“Well, I never said veteran, so…”

“Rosa, here’s a question. Do you understand your Pokémon?”

“Understand my Pokémon?”

“Do you understand their type and characteristics? Understanding Pokémon is the first step to getting in sync with them. I mentioned earlier about you and Shinx not being in sync.”

“Yeah, so? What’s your point?”

“Pokémon respond quickly to their Trainer’s instructions and use their own judgment because of their strong connections. Pokémon battle well when they clearly recognize and trust their Trainer’s power.”

“Their Trainer’s power?”

“Pokémon won’t connect with Trainers who don’t have any. The strength of a Pokémon is proportionate to a Trainer’s power.”

“You saying I don’t have any strength? I assure you I have plenty!”

“I’m not the one that needs to see your strength, because I wasn’t your partner in the battle _you_ just lost.” He nodded towards the fluffy creature cradled in my arms.

I looked down at Shinx. “Your strength… is proportionate… to my power?”

“And if you don’t have any…” Green continued. “Then victories in battle won’t come very easy. You can forget catching another Pokémon, or any goals you have in mind. I’m sorry, but it’s the harsh reality of being a Pokémon Trainer.”

Pondering his words, my head slumped forward. Shinx pawed my face.

“Well, thanks for the battle.” He recalled his Bulbasaur. “Excuse me.” He turned to walk away.

Before he got too far, I roared at him: “You’re right!”

Green stopped walking.

“I don’t have any power. None at all.” Setting Shinx on the ground, I rose up and turned towards the boy. “That’s why I have Pokémon! They give me power. _Shinx_ gives me power! The power to believe in myself, my skills, my goals. My power comes from them. I’m nothing without my Pokémon!”

My eyes burned holes into his back. For a while, Green stood still, absorbing my words.

Finally, Green turned to face me. “Can I ask something else?”

I nodded. “Sure.”

“Why are you here? Why are you here as a Pokémon Trainer?”

Thunder cracked over our heads. _Cue the dramatic effects, I guess…_

“To get stronger!” I replied without a moment of hesitation.

Both Shinx and Green gazed at me even as rain poured down from above.

“I will get stronger, and I will do it all with Shinx as my partner!” When I gestured to my beloved Pokémon, he faced Green and barked loudly, supporting my claim. “My goal is to become stronger, and become the Pokémon World Champion! That way, nobody will ever call us powerless again. And that way…”

Rain poured down my face. When the lightning flashed around us, memories of that day also flashed before my eyes. The raindrops masked the ensuing tears that traced my cheekbones. Seeing those images replay in my head made my hands ball up into fists.

A low growl escaped my lips. “...And that way, I will _never_ be like that again!”

After a moment, a hand reached out to pat my shoulder. I looked up and gazed into two beautiful brown orbs. “That’s good,” he muttered with a smile. “You have something you want to accomplish, and it’s at the forefront of your mind. Clearly you’re ready to do whatever it takes to see that goal met. I like that about you, Rosa.”

I grinned. “Like I said, it’s not me that should be commended.” My head dropped down to look at Shinx again. “I trust my Pokémon, and he trusts me. That trust provides limitless power, enough to accomplish whatever we do together. Shinx, you do trust me, right?”

His yellow eyes locked with mine. Then, he bounced back a step, barked as loud as he could, and shot off a massive bolt of lightning into the sky. It was far more powerful than any attack he’d ever conjured before, illuminating the immediate area.

Perched above our head, the thunderstorm absorbed the attack. It responded with a loud sequence of cracks and booms, before falling to silence again.

Green laughed. “From the looks of it, you two must love thunderstorms.”

I responded with my own laughter. “Oh yeah. Bursts of electricity shooting down from the sky. The continuous drum roll above the clouds. Buckets and buckets of rain. What’s not to love?” Shinx replied by hiding underneath my legs, using me as an umbrella. “Well, he’s not a huge fan of the rain, but still.”

“You must be a fan of electric-types then, huh, Rosa?”

“What gave me away?”

“You know, you remind me of my sister.”

Flattered with the comment, I blushed. “Really?”

“She loves thunderstorms too, and electric-type Pokémon. She’s about your age too.”

“Well, I’d love to meet her someday—Ah!”

Suddenly, a bird Pokémon swooped down and tried hitting Shinx with Peck. It missed when he jumped off my head; instead, the Pokémon’s sharp beak hit me. When it got clear of my head, Shinx angrily launched a Shock Wave attack at it.

“What was that for?!” I angrily shouted, rubbing my head with one hand.

The black and brown bird cawed back as it made a u-turn.

“A Spearow?” Green said.

“It’s probably the same one I tried to catch. Did you change your mind?” I called out to the bird, reaching for a Poké Ball.

After Spearow landed in the dirt, it turned its head and let out an ear-splitting cry. Off in the distance, a gigantic flock of birds emerged from the trees. Nervous chills went up and down my spine. “Please tell me I’m seeing things,” I squeaked, noticing Shinx start to back away.

“Nope. That must be this guy’s flock,” Green replied. I heard him gulp.

My eyebrow raised. “But, why are they all attacking us?”

“Well, Spearow aren’t the friendliest of Pokémon to begin with, but that flock in particular is pretty nasty. They like to cause trouble around here for new Trainers and their Pokémon. I’ll bet Spearow didn’t like you mouthing off to it.”

My neck snapped when I looked back to Spearow. “Aw! Did you get your little feelings hurt? Well, maybe you shouldn’t go jabbing people in the head!”

A vein bulging on its forehead, Spearow lifted into the air as its flock approached.

I felt challenged. “Yeah? Think your friends will help you take us out? Think again! Come on, Shinx! Let’s show these punks who they’re messing with!”

Shinx jumped onto my shoulder and barked in agreement.

Green quickly grabbed my arm. “Wait! You’re going to take on the entire flock?!” he shouted, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Of course. What else did you plan on?”

“I don’t know. Running away?!”

I ripped my arm away from him. “No, it’s better to stay here and fight!”

“You’re insane, Rosa!”

Ignoring him, I glared at the Spearow beginning to surround us. My arms stretched out wide with Shinx perched on my shoulder. The flock of birds scowled at me prepared for a vicious fight. “Alright, you! I don’t think you know who you’re dealing with! I’m Rosa from Sunyshore City, and I’m going to become the first ever World Champion Pokémon Master! Mess with me, or Shinx, and you’re going to lose! Together, we’re going to catch all of you Pokémon at once!”

The Spearow got angry and cawed loudly.

“Ready to attack, Shinx?”

He nodded his head.

“Then hit us with your best shot, punks!”

The Spearow flew quick circles above our heads before diving straight at us. We stood our ground as thousands of angry Pokémon came charging at us with the intent to do some severe damage.

Time slowed down for a moment.

My leg felt a light tap, followed by one on my back, then my shoulder. A flash of yellow and red went past my ear, leaving me frozen in place. A lightning bolt then struck down from the sky, scoring a direct hit on the yellow creature. It retaliated with an electric attack far stronger than the original. The resulting explosion knocked me off my feet.

★

When I came to my senses, the sun had started to set. Clouds rolled away to make room for the last bits of sunlight, though the smell of rain still filled my nose.

Opening my eyes, two bright eyes peered back. “Shinx?” my voice cracked.

He cried out and licked my face.

“What… happened? There… was an explosion. Wasn’t there?”

He barked.

I slowly sat myself up. “But man, that was some blast. Are you okay?”

He nodded and then nuzzled my cheek.

Relieved, I smiled and scratched his head. “Good. I’m glad. But…” Holding Shinx in my lap, I gazed around for any sign of another person. “Where’d Green go? And that yellow creature? It wore something red on it. Did you see it?”

Frowning, Shinx mewled and admitted he had no idea. He couldn’t remember anything between the Spearow charging us and the explosion before it knocked us out.

“Oh boy. Let’s get you to a Pokémon Center as quickly as possible. I want to make sure that explosion didn’t hurt you too badly.” He agreed with another nod. “But seriously, where’d that boy go anyway?”

Suddenly, Shinx barked, his head pointing up.

When my gaze turned towards the sky, a shimmering golden Pokémon flew overhead towards a rainbow. Every flap of its wings sent a pinch of glitter into the air. My jaw smacked into the ground. “What’s that?”

My Pokédex answered, “ _There is no data. There are still Pokémon that have yet to be identified._ ”

Watching the mysterious Pokémon, we spotted a small feather fall after another great big flap of its wings. It floated down to us, landing in my hands. Colored like a rainbow, it glowed when touched. I stared at it, and then back at the Pokémon. It crossed the bright rainbow before disappearing, and with it, the light from the feather quickly faded.

“Hey, Shinx, someday we’ll meet that Pokémon.” He climbed onto my shoulder and barked. “And someday, we’ll meet Green again too.”

Shinx asked what made me so sure.

“I can’t explain it, but I feel like I know him. And that yellow creature… the flash of red with it… now that I think about it, it kind of resembled a hat.”

Confused, Shinx cocked his head.

I laughed. “Maybe I should get myself checked out too.”

Very weak and tired, I struggled to my feet. Following the rainbow with our eyes, we spotted a city near the end of it. “Hey! That must be Viridian City! We made it!”

Shinx cheered before collapsing in my arms.

"Let's not push it until we get there, okay?" He agreed. I made sure nothing had fallen from my pockets and headed off. In the distance, a man in a red cap watched us continue on our way, removing his fake glasses to clear the water from the lenses. He had a smile on his face, and a Pikachu on his shoulder.


	3. A Night on the Town

By sunset, we made it to Viridian City. It felt much more alive than Pallet Town, lots of people and bright lights everywhere. I liked it, and so did Shinx. “This is pretty cool. A lot different than Sunyshore City.

“Now let’s see. Any idea where the Pokémon Center might be?” Shinx pointed to the left of us, spotting a large red circle sitting atop a semi-dome building with stairs leading up to it. I saw a white  _ P _ on the dome. “Good eye, buddy!” We raced there.

Stepping into the Pokémon Center lobby, we came upon a ton of trainers and their many different Pokémon. We were in awe. “Wow! It’s so much bigger than Volt made it sound!”

I gazed around, getting myself accustomed to the relaxing atmosphere of a Pokémon Center. “He told me all about these. He said that Pokémon Centers are gathering places, where trainers use them to rest between activities, share information, make calls or send packages, and lots more. They always have a lobby like this with TVs so trainers can watch their favorite channels, and the front desk is run by a nurse who’ll treat injured Pokémon. There’s a cafeteria for eating and cooking, and plenty of rooms for spending the night.”

Admiring the building, I stepped over to the front desk. “First thing’s first we should have someone heal you up. We can explore the town after, but I think it’s too late to continue onto Viridian Forest. We can get a room for the night. I’m sure you wouldn’t disagree with a nice warm bed.” Shinx barked.

A lady with curly pink hair greeted us. “Hello there, and welcome to the Pokémon Center.” She wore a pink and white nurse’s outfit.

“Are you Nurse Joy?”

“Why, yes.” She giggled a little. “You must be a new Trainer, going by your expression.”

“I am. Can you heal my Pokémon, please?”

“I’d love to! Here.” She placed a small tray on the counter. “Just place your Poké Balls onto this tray.”

“Right. Shinx, you’ve got to go inside now.”

Shinx didn’t look too happy about that.

“I know you don’t like it, but it’ll just be for a bit while you get all healed up. I’ll call you back out as soon as you’re all done. I promise.” He sighed and went inside, where I pushed the tray back to Nurse Joy. “Please take good care of him.”

“We will. He should be back out within the hour.” She handed the tray to a big pink Pokémon wearing a matching nurse’s hat. It walked through some doors behind the counter.

I took my Pokédex out. “ _ Chansey the Egg Pokémon. Chansey is a kind Pokémon who shares its egg with those who are sick or injured. _ ”

“So that’s a Chansey. It’s pretty cute.”

A voice startled me, “Is that all you care about when it comes to Pokémon?!”

Startled, I looked back to find a familiar head of purple hair. “Oh, Paul, it’s you!”

“You can’t get much more pathetic than calling every single Pokémon you meet cute.”

“Who are you to say what I think about Pokémon?” He just ignored me.

He walked past me, up to Nurse Joy. “May I have my Pokémon healed, please?” He went through the same process, setting his Poké Balls on a tray for Nurse Joy to hand back to a Chansey.

Forgetting his rude attitude, I became heavily interested in his new Pokémon, considering he had more than I did. “I see you’ve got some additions to your team. What’d you catch?”

“That’s none of your business.” He walked off.

“Hey!” I ran after him.

Paul grabbed a soda from a vending machine and sat down.

I stood in front of him, hands on my hips, to make sure he didn’t ignore me. “Maybe it isn’t none of my business, but if you have some Pokémon that I might want to catch, I want to know where to find them.”

He didn’t even look at me. “How about this? What Pokémon do you have?”

I stuttered. “Wh… Why do you care?”

“For the same reasons as you.”

Turning away from him, I replied, “Well you see, uh, let’s see. I have Shinx and…”

He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t have any new Pokémon, do you?”

“It’s not my fault! I was in the middle of catching a Pidgey when this flock of Spearow attacked us out of nowhere! I almost caught it...”

“Why am I not surprised? It takes a little while for any rookie Trainer to find and catch their first few Pokémon. You’re no different.”

“And you are?”

“Of course.”

Nearly lashing out, I instead crossed my arms and sat down across from him. “But I did get to see a rare flying Pokémon earlier today,” I huffed.

“A rare flying Pokémon? What did it look like?”

“Well, that’s kind of hard to explain now that you mention it. We stood pretty far away. It looked like a huge golden bird with lots of colorful feathers on its tail.”

“It doesn’t sound familiar, and I guess you don’t have a picture.” He rolled his eyes.

“Nope. My Pokédex didn’t have any information on it, either.” I saw him squint. “What?”

He frowned at me. “You’re not just making this up, are you?”

“Of course not! You want proof? Here. Take a look at this.” I rummaged through my bag and pulled out the rainbow feather. “This fell off the bird’s tail just as it flew over a rainbow.”

“Let me see.” He swiped it from my hands to get a better look. “Wow. You weren’t kidding.”

“I told you.”

“Well, still, I don’t know what Pokémon it was. Maybe one of the Legendary Pokémon?”

“What do you think I should do about this feather, then?”

He handed it back to me. “Nothing, for now. Just keep it tucked away. If that was a Legendary Pokémon you saw, then you might get the chance to meet it. That’d be extremely lucky; some people search their whole lives for Legendary Pokémon without any success.”

I tucked the rainbow feather away in my bag.

Then Paul wandered off to look out the window. Not having anything else to do, I grabbed a soda and followed him. He glared at me when I approached. “Why the hell are you still here?”

I casually took a sip from my soda. “What? Can’t I look out the window too? Shinx is being healed, so what else can I do?”

“You could go shopping, stock up on supplies. You probably haven’t done that yet.”

_ How’d he know? Damn this kid’s smart. _ Embarrassed, I looked away. “I haven’t had the chance, and I don’t want to explore the city by myself. I would at least like to have Shinx with me...”

“You’ve never been on your own, have you?”

I sheepishly grinned. “Eh, no, not really. I’ve always had my brother. It’s going to take a bit to get used to being out here with only Pokémon...”

Paul sighed, and then after a moment, he searched his pockets. “Oh. I guess I never answered your question earlier.”

“Which one?”

He pulled out his Pokédex. “The new Pokémon I added to the team. Here.”

A bit surprised, I stood there gazing at him like an idiot.

“Do you want to see or not?”

“Err, of course, I do!” I stepped closer.

Paul brought up an entry for a small Pokémon with big ears and a sharp horn. “It’s called Nidoran.”

The two different pictures interested me. “There are two?”

“The male is purple with a bigger horn. The female is light-blue with a smaller horn. The male has a very powerful Horn Attack, and the female’s Poison Sting is nothing too fun either.”

“You probably got the male, didn’t you?”

“It just happened to be the stronger one.”

“You call me a girl for calling things cute, yet you pick based on which gender looks stronger.”

“Don’t compare me to you! Do you want to see the other Pokémon?”

Not wanting to admit defeat, I struggled a head nod. He pulled up a second entry for a bird with darker-colored feathers. I didn’t need a Pokédex to tell me its name. “You caught a Spearow?!”

“Well, yeah. It looked strong and had the potential to get stronger.”

“Strong, huh? Honestly, I’d be okay with never seeing a Spearow again in my life.”

He grinned. “What? Don’t tell me you’re afraid of Spearow, are you?”

“Shut up and keep going.”

He flipped to a third and final entry for a small monkey with tan fur. The Pokédex’s automated voice read the information tag: “ _ Mankey the Pig Monkey Pokémon. Known for its superior footwork, it packs a powerful punch. Although Mankey is usually calm, it does have a bad temper. _ ”

I was very unimpressed. “So it’s a flightless Spearow.”

Paul barked, “It’s also a Fighting-type, not a Flying-type. Get your types straight!”

That comment drew the line for me.

I snatched the device from Paul’s hands and used it to look up Nidoran again, as that was the only Pokémon of the three I liked.

“Hey! Give it back! Use your Pokédex!”

I kept him at bay. Whenever he tried to pounce, I just stepped to the side. “Dummy. How can I use my Pokédex when it doesn’t have the data yours has?” I managed to find the entry for Nidoran. “There. Okay, it says I can find the female just as commonly as the male.” I read up more on Nidoran’s known attacks and typing. “Hmm. Good stuff to note.”

“Still, you won’t find one as strong as mine.”

“There you go with that strength thing again.”

“Got a problem with that?”

“A little. You know, any Pokémon can be strong if you work at it.”

“Not true.”

“It’s so true. A Pokémon’s strength comes from working together with its Trainer.”

“Who’d you learn that from? My brother?”

I paused.  _ Have I ever met his brother? Even if I did, how would he know? Weird. _ I stared at him, a bit confused by the comment. “Your brother?”

Paul caught his slip of the tongue, shaking his head. “Ne…Nevermind! Forget I said anything. Can I have my Pokédex back?”

I kept it out of his reach. “Wait! I need to know where to catch Nidoran.”

He sighed. “How about if I just show you?”

I thought he was kidding, but his expression told me the opposite. “Really?”

“Well, our Pokémon are getting healed, so there isn’t much to do. Maybe we’ll pass by the store to get some supplies. I need some Pokémon food, anyway.” He threw away his empty soda can, and then headed towards the door. When he did, Paul looked back at me for a second. “You said you didn’t want to explore the city by yourself, right, Girlie?”

“Don’t call me that!” After a moment, I hurried after him.

He led me to Viridian’s west gate, where the asphalt turned into a dirt trail leading out into the wilderness. A signpost said Route 22.

Paul pointed at the expansive land. “I caught Nidoran and the others out there.”

I looked at him with an unsatisfied glare.

He shrugged. “What? I did.”

“That doesn’t give me much to go off. I don’t see any Nidoran anywhere.”

“Maybe because they’re sleeping?”

“It’s not that late.”

“Still they’re out there.” He held out his hand. “Now, can I have it back, please?”

“Fine, thanks for your help!” I smacked the Pokédex on his palm.

“Ow! You—”

“Zip it! I don’t want to hear it. Let’s go to the store now.” I headed off, with Paul right behind.

“Do you even know where it is?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Of course not. But you do.”

He smacked his forehead. “How the hell did I get stuck with you?”

I replied: “Luck.”

“Good or bad?”

“Not sure yet.”

He ran to catch up and took the lead.

Paul and I made our way over to a Poké Mart. We split up to browse the selection more thoroughly for supplies. “First, I need food. To become a great Pokémon Trainer, I have to be able to make food for my Pokémon. Shinx is an Electric-type, so I’ll start by getting some premade Electric-type food to see what makes it so yummy. I think I can develop a recipe from there.”

For myself, I collected lots of fruits and vegetables for snacking as well as various ingredients and cooking supplies to make meals. “I remember Volt explaining that it’s always better to snack throughout the day and make some hot soup or sandwiches for meals. I’m taking his advice.”

Though I stocked up on plenty of medicine before leaving home, I decided to grab some extras. “Volt told me to have plenty of medicine, as you never know when you won’t have a Pokémon Center nearby. A great Pokémon Trainer always needs to know how to take care of their Pokémon when injured or sick.

“Of course, I can also use berries for medicinal purposes too. Oran and Sitrus Berries are wonderful for replenishing energy, and Lum Berries are excellent for healing status conditions like poison and burn—”

“You talk to yourself a lot,” Paul said, startling me.

“Don’t do that!” I barked, nearly dropping everything in my hands.

He laughed. “Sorry, Girlie. Couldn’t help it.”

“And don’t call me that either!” I then noticed the bags in his hands. “Did you find everything you needed?”

“And plenty more. You done yet?”

“Just about.” We bought all the merchandise we needed and left the store with bags full of goodies.

On our way back to the Pokémon Center, curiosity got the best of me. I said, “Hey Paul, I know this is none of my business, but did something happen when you went to see your brother battle?”

“What do you mean?”

“The last time I saw you was last night on the boat. That’s when you said you were going to watch your brother battle a Frontier Brain, whatever that means, sometime this morning. It seems like something has upset you, and that’s the only thing I can think of.”

He looked at the ground. “It’s a long story. I’d rather not talk about it.”

Hearing that, I nodded. “I get it if you don’t want to talk about it. It upset you somehow.”

“How’d you know that?”

“I didn’t. You just confirmed it.” He frowned at me. “But also because you’ve been acting a little different since before. You’ve been talking more about power and strength than last time, and you were weird when you mentioned your brother.”

“You paid attention to all that?”

“Well, let’s just say you’ve been much more rude and obnoxious than before!” He didn’t say anything, but his guilty expression sufficed for an apology. “But anyways, I’m aiming to be a powerful Trainer one day. I have to be able to pay attention to details in people and Pokémon other than cuteness, or else I’ll never improve my skills as a Pokémon Trainer.”

“Fair enough.”

We paused when we heard some loud noise. “What’s that?” It was coming from an alleyway filled with trash cans. We watched as a yellow Pokémon came racing down the alley, and the strange noise was it smacking the cans out of the way with a silver tail; I recognized the Pokémon instantly. “It’s a Pikachu!”

“Why’s it running?” Paul asked. A small group of Pokémon appeared behind Pikachu and chased it, including a Mankey, Rattata, and Spearow. I didn’t recognize the fourth one. “Oh, that’s why.”

Paul checked the fourth Pokémon on his Pokédex. “ _ Gastly the Gas Pokémon. Although it can sneak in anywhere with its gaseous body, it can easily be blown away by the wind. Being a ghost Pokémon, it loves to frighten and play pranks on others for fun. _ ”

The color left my face. “A ghost Pokémon?!” I shrieked.

I realized too late that I handed over the perfect ammunition for Paul to insult me for the rest of my days. “Are you afraid of ghosts?!” I didn’t answer.

The Pokémon all came running out of the alley, with Pikachu running as fast as it could go. Though scared of Gastly, I worried about Pikachu and said, “Something tells me that Pikachu did something bad.”

“How’d you guess that?” grumbled Paul.

“Do you even hear yourself, Paul?!” I got startled when Pikachu ran up to me and jumped into my arms. “Whoa! What’s wrong, Pikachu?” It saw the other Pokémon and climbed on top of my head. I put out my arms to stop them. “Okay, everybody! Calm down!”

“What’s going on?” asked Paul. They all started yelling up at Pikachu.

“Yeah, I get you’re mad at it. What exactly did it do—Ah!” I screamed when Gastly floated up to make eye contact with me; I froze. Although it couldn’t talk, it merely pointed at Pikachu and then at its mouth. Trying my best not to run away in terror, I quickly processed the situation. “So, it stole food?” The four Pokémon all nodded. I yanked Pikachu off my head. “Well?” It kept its mouth shut but smiled. “You must’ve already eaten it, then.”

“The Pokémon are still angry, though.” Paul was right, as they were furious.

“Well, I would be too. Let’s see if I have something to solve this.” I set Pikachu down on the ground, who looked uncomfortable being so close to the Pokémon it stole from. I dug through my bag, a bit shaky, knowing Gastly floated beside me. “I don’t think Shinx would appreciate this very much, but maybe if it’s to help a fellow Pokémon. Here we go.” I pulled out a massive stash of berries. “Will this make up for it?” The four Pokémon cheered.

Paul seemed very shocked at my collection. “Where’d you get all those?”

“From the Poké Mart. What? Did you not know where to get berries?”

He ignored me.

I handed the bag of berries over to Mankey, who thanked me. Pikachu tried taking some fruit for itself, but I stopped it. “I think you’ve had plenty! Of course, if you apologize, then they might share.” Pikachu looked at the Pokémon and struggled to bow its head as a sorry. It worked until it suddenly blew several hearts from its mouth.

Paul shouted, “That’s Sweet Kiss. It’ll confuse the Pokémon if they get hit!”

“Pikachu!” I swatted the hearts away before they could hit any Pokémon. “That’s not sorry!” It looked at me furiously and sparked its cheeks. I panicked. “Uh, oh!”

“We should get back.” Paul and I backed away. The other Pokémon hightailed it.

Pikachu sparked its cheeks. However, instead of shocking us, it zapped itself and fell back on the ground, unconscious. “Oh, boy, you must’ve just evolved from a Pichu.” I picked up the electric mouse in my arms. “Why don’t we take you to Nurse Joy?”

“I think our Pokémon should be done recovering by now, anyway.” I agreed with him, and we headed back.

★

We got back to the Pokémon Center, getting up to the front desk just as Nurse Joy set all of our Poké Balls onto the counter. “Rosa, Paul, I’m done healing your Pokémon. Everyone is in tip-top shape.”

“Thank you!” Paul said before walking off to make a phone call.

I bowed my head. “Yes, very much. Also, do you mind taking care of this Pikachu? It’s wild. It tried using Thunder Shock, but it knocked itself out. I think it might’ve just evolved from a Pichu.” I handed it over to Nurse Joy.

“Of course we can.” A Chansey took Pikachu into the back. “Now, since it’s getting late, I’ll guess you’re going to want a room to stay in for the night. I have one left.”

“Then I’m pretty lucky. Yes, please! That would be wonderful.”

She handed me a key. “It’ll be upstairs on the right, fifth door down.”

Stepping away from the counter, I grabbed Shinx’s Poké Ball and called him out. “How are you feeling Shinx? All better, I imagine.” He stretched his legs before jumping on my shoulders and licking my face. “That’s good. Let’s go check out our room now, and I can’t wait to show you all the yummy stuff I bought.”

At least the room was lovely, with a desk, chair, and two bunk beds. A large window sat above the desk. “I like this.” Shinx jumped up and down on the bed before rolling onto a pillow. I laughed. “Meeting your standards, I see.”

Suddenly someone knocked at the door. Opening it, I found Paul. The sight didn’t make me too happy. “Oh, it’s you. What are you doing here?”

He glared back. “Nice to see you too. Here’s the thing. Nurse Joy told me there weren't any empty rooms left, but she said I could share with someone. I would like to have a good night’s rest, so can I stay in this room with you?”

Of all the worst possible situations, this took the cake. “Why can’t you go with someone else?”

“I don’t know anyone else here.”

“Yeah, and I guess anyone else would punch you in the face five seconds after meeting you.”

“So can I or what?”

I looked down at Shinx, who had come to the door. Seeing Shinx’s face light up when he saw Paul, I sighed in defeat. “Fine, but just this once. This happens again, and you’ll be sleeping in the lobby.”

“Deal.”

Setting my bag on the floor, I sat down on one of the bottom bunks. “Well, since we’re here, can I see your Pokémon now?”

“I don’t know if it’d be worth it.”

“Hey, I let you in here, and I can kick you out just as easy!”

Paul sat down on the opposite bunk. “Tch. Fine.” He grabbed all four of his Poké Balls and tossed them into the air. Just as he said, in addition to Turtwig, he had a Nidoran, Spearow, and Mankey.

The Pokémon all socialized. Turtwig walked over and stood up on two legs to bump its forehead into my hand. “It’s good to see you too.” Shinx greeted Turtwig too.

When Spearow greeted us, Shinx found it challenging to greet back. I quietly whispered to him, “Don’t forget. I don’t think this one belongs to that flock. See?” I managed to pet Spearow’s head without any problems, so Shinx felt content with that.

Eventually, all of the Pokémon wanted my attention, so I just sat on the floor to let them crowd around. “It’s surprising to know how friendly Pokémon can be even when they’re being raised by someone like you, Mister Attitude.”

Paul had just put away his Pokédex. “And now they’re going to be slackers even more than they are because they’ve met you.”

“Are you talking to the girl who you couldn’t beat in a battle even on her first day?”

He looked away. “It was my first day, too, so it’s not like I had any time to prepare.”

“Yeah, sure.” I watched the group of Pokémon play even after dinnertime. Shinx loved the Pokémon food I bought for him, so I promised to work on my own recipe. He was excited about it.

I slept well that night. The warmth of Shinx curled up at my side helped. Still, I was so excited that I had the potential not to sleep at all. In two or three days, I was going to be battling for a Gym Badge in Pewter City.

★

In the morning, I woke up and looked around to find no sign of Paul. “What?!” I startled my Pokémon awake. “Sorry, Shinx.” I rubbed my eyes and inspected Paul’s bed, which looked unused. “He must’ve snuck off a while ago. That loser! He couldn’t even tell me.” I felt a tap on my leg. It was Shinx, and he had a piece of paper in his mouth. “Is that from Paul?” I took the note and read it:

**_Rosa_ **

**_I didn’t want to wake you up. Thanks for letting me share the room. I’m getting a head start to Pewter City. Of course, knowing you, you’ll never catch up. You should catch some Pokémon at some point. It might be helpful. Later._ **

**_\- Paul_ **

I crumpled the note in my hand. “I’ll show him and catch up to him in no time! We can’t let him get too far, which means we’ve got work to do!” Shinx agreed. I changed out of pajamas after a quick shower and sprung out the door.

Stepping into the lobby, a voice called out to me, “Rosa!” It was Nurse Joy. “I’m happy to let you know that Pikachu is all better.” The yellow mouse jumped onto the counter and sparked its cheeks a tiny bit. She gave it a stern glare, like a teacher and her misbehaving student. “Now Pikachu, you know not to do that too much until you work on your attacks. You might hurt yourself again.” Pikachu nodded its head.

“That’s awesome, Pikachu! Now make sure you don’t steal anymore, okay?” It looked at me with a frown. “I’m off now.”

Nurse Joy and her Chansey waved a hand. “Have a safe trip.”

“Thank you. Goodbye!” I headed out with Shinx.

Before leaving the city for good, we headed over to Route 22, so I could look for the next addition to my team. I found it in no time, a female Nidoran. Unfortunately, even with Shinx’s help, we couldn’t catch it; she ran away after breaking out of a Poké Ball. I gave up the search after failing to capture that Nidoran two more times. “Ah, well, maybe we’ll have better luck in Viridian Forest.” Shinx agreed.


	4. The Caterpie of the Day

It only took a few hours to enter the forest. Being gigantic, I relied heavily on the map. “It’s a pretty intimidating forest judging by the size. All we have to do is keep heading north and we should be in Pewter City in just a day or two.” I put the map away.

“We should catch some Pokémon while we’re here. Some training wouldn’t hurt either if we have time.”

I remembered to stay on the lookout for any new Pokémon. Shinx pranced beside me, keeping an eye on the surrounding flora. “What kinds live in this forest anyways?”

My Pokédex helped with that question, answering with, “ _ In Viridian Forest, a Trainer can find many Bug-type Pokémon. _ ”

“It’s like the Pokédex has a voice recognition program. That’s pretty handy.” Shinx agreed with a bark. “Let’s see. We should look for one of those Bug-types. Keep a sharp eye peeled for any—” Shinx cried up at me and pointed over to the trees off the path a little.

A little caterpillar came crawling out on a branch.

“That must be one of the Bug-types the Pokédex was talking about!” I shouted.

My Pokédex scanned the Pokémon. “ _ Caterpie the Worm Pokémon. Caterpie uses the suction cups on its feet to climb trees and feed on its favorite leaves. It’s easy to catch, and it grows quickly, making it one of the top choices for beginning Pokémon Trainers. _ ”

“It looks a little different from the picture on the Pokédex.” I looked at the green Caterpie picture and back to the orange worm in front of us. “Ah, who cares? Let’s get it.”

We snuck up as close as we could to Caterpie. “Okay Shinx, here’s what we’re going to do,” I began. However, Shinx got excited and jumped out from behind a bush, preparing to zap Caterpie with an attack. “No, wait, Shinx! I didn’t say go—!” Grabbing Shinx to stop him, I got hit with a particularly powerful Shock Wave.

Caterpie cried out and used String Shot. Shinx dodged the attack by jumping out of my arms. The sticky web instead wrapped around my body, pinning my arms down. I figured Shinx could still handle the rest. “Try another one!” A second Shock Wave stunned Caterpie, long enough for me to break free of the String Shot. “Now use Spark!” Shinx climbed up the tree and scored a direct hit with Spark, knocking Caterpie onto the ground. “This is it! Go Poké Ball!” The ball pulled Caterpie inside and started rattling.

The Poké Ball kept on rattling. Once. Twice. Three times. After my failed attempt to catch a Pidgey, Rattata, and Spearow, and then a Nidoran, I expected Caterpie to pop out too. It never did. I heard a click as the red light on the Poké Ball faded away. “Did we do it?” The shock hit me so hard I fell to my knees.

Shinx retrieved the Poké Ball. “Yes!! I did it!” I nearly burst from the excitement, running around in circles doing a happy dance. “I caught Caterpie! I caught my first Pokémon! This is the first step on my way to becoming the Pokémon World Champion!”

After a few more victory dances, I knelt down beside my Shinx. “It’s all thanks to you that we were able to get a new friend. What do you think?” I held out Caterpie’s Poké Ball. Shinx sniffed it and then jumped for joy. “Oh, Shinx, I’m glad you like it. From now on, we’ll catch a whole bunch of new friends.”

I took Caterpie’s Poké Ball and threw it into the air. “Come out and say hi!”

Popping out of the ball, Caterpie stood on the ground facing us. I knelt down to be at eye level with her. “Hi, Caterpie. I’m Rosa, and this is Shinx. Welcome to the team.” She nodded her head and wriggled around. I laughed. “Then I guess there’s no question on your excitement level. Do you want to climb onto my shoulder?” I held out my hand. She nodded her head and quickly crawled up my arm. “Comfortable?” She agreed. “Okay, so let’s see if we can find anymore Pokémon.”

That’s when a nearby bush started rustling. “Hey, look at that! Right on schedule. I want you both to be ready to battle.” They both nodded their heads as a brown worm popped out of the bush. It looked similar to Caterpie but not quite. “Dex, who’s that Pokémon?”

My Pokédex responded, “ _ Weedle the Hairy Bug Pokémon. The poison stinger on this Pokémon’s head guarantees that any attacker will get the point right where it hurts. _ ”

“Then we better watch out for that stinger. Caterpie, I want you to get some battle experience, so you’re up! String Shot!” I waited, and waited, and waited for my Pokémon to respond. However, nothing happened.

Weedle looked at me with a confused expression.

“Caterpie, what’s…” I trailed off when I saw Caterpie sleeping on my shoulder. “Hey, this is no time for a nap! Wake up, Caterpie!”

Weedle took its opportunity to get away.

“Oh no, you don’t! Shinx use Shock Wave!”

Before Shinx had a chance to attack, a yellow Pokémon jumped out of the bushes at the speed of light and slammed into Weedle. It took a short moment to recognize the new Pokémon arrival. “Hey, I know that yellow fur!” I remembered the city Pokémon we ran into yesterday: the Pikachu that knocked itself out with Thunder Shock. “Are you that same Pikachu?!”

It looked back at me and made a peace sign with its paw.

However, Shinx grabbed my attention to let me know that Weedle was trying to escape again. “Not again! Try attacking once more!” Shinx tried Shock Wave for a second time, but Pikachu jumped in the way. Sparking its cheeks, it tried a Thunder Shock, but once again it failed. Pikachu fell back unconscious, allowing Weedle to escape. “Well, that’s that I guess.”

I went over to Pikachu and picked it up. “Hey, why do you keep doing that to yourself?” It didn’t reply, simply laid back in my arms and acted like it was in extreme pain. “You know, you’re kind of a drama queen. It didn’t hurt that badly, did it?” It got mad, and before I knew it, I was attacked by a successful attempt of Pikachu’s Thunder Shock. Not only did I get zapped, Caterpie did too. She woke up from her nap and ran away in fear. “Caterpie, come back!” She disappeared into the trees.

I set Pikachu on the ground and handed it a yellow berry. “Here, if that’s how you’re going to be, just take this. It’s a Sitrus Berry. It’ll restore your energy in a snap and then you can be on your way. I don’t know if you were following us or something, but I can at least say thanks for trying to help. We have to go find our friend. See you, Pikachu!” Shinx and I waved before running off in Caterpie’s direction.

The two of us looked everywhere, searching high and low for my Pokémon. “Caterpie, where’d you go? Caterpie! Hey, Caterpie!” I shouted over and over. No response, and no movement as far as the eye could see. “Oh, where could she have gone? Hopefully not far.”

Up ahead, Shinx stopped and stared up into a tree.

“Something wrong, Shinx?” He pointed up at a branch.

On that branch, there was a familiar orange caterpillar napping. I breathed a sigh of relief. “There you are.” She opened her eyes to see me waving. “Down here, Caterpie. There’s nothing to be scared of here. I’m sorry you were frightened, but it wasn’t me. We were hit by an attack from a Pikachu.” Suddenly, Caterpie got spooked and raced further up the tree. “What’s wrong now?”

I turned around to find Pikachu running up to us. “Hey, it’s Pikachu again.” It stepped up to me with one half of the Sitrus Berry; the other half must’ve already been eaten. “Well, I’m glad to see you liked that berry.”

To my horror, I heard a snap. Caterpie had climbed onto a branch and weighed it down just enough for it to break in half. My Pokémon plummeted towards the ground. “Caterpie!” I raced forward and jumped, holding out my arms. Catching Caterpie, I held her tightly to my chest and crashed face-first into the tree.

Shinx and Pikachu rushed to my side. I struggled up on all fours, rubbing my nose. “I’m going to feel that in the morning. Are you alright, Caterpie?” She nodded her head. “I’m sorry about you being scared like that, and about not letting you nap.”

Pikachu came over and bowed its head.

“And look at that. Pikachu is apologizing too.” Then Pikachu handed me the other half of its Sitrus Berry, gesturing to its nose. “Do you want me to eat this so my nose can get better?” It cheerfully nodded its head. “Thanks, Pikachu. You’re sweet.” I ate the Sitrus Berry in two big chomps.

Licking my lips, Caterpie gazed at me with big puppy eyes. “Oh, I know. All that excitement must’ve gotten you hungry, right?” She nodded. “Okay, let’s find some food. Maybe the Pokédex knows what kind of food you like to eat.”

I took out my Pokédex with one hand, holding Caterpie with the other. “ _ Caterpie’s diet mainly consists of leaves and vegetation found high up in trees. As it grows rapidly, it maintains a voracious appetite until it evolves into Metapod as soon as one day later. _ ” It showed me a picture of a green cocoon Pokémon: Metapod.

“Okay, let’s find you some leaves. Any suggestions?” Pikachu volunteered and ran off.

Following Pikachu, we found it sitting on a tree branch at eye level. There were plenty of leaves all around. I held Caterpie up to the leaves, which were at least twice her size. “Well Caterpie, go ahead.” She sniffed a single leaf, and within seconds, devoured five of them.

Caterpie then burped and slumped in my hands. “Hey, you have to eat a lot more or you won’t evolve.” Caterpie didn’t respond. I turned her around and found her asleep. “You can’t just take a nap all the time. Snap out of it.” Caterpie wouldn’t move.

Shinx told me that I would just have to be patient and that Caterpie would evolve at her own pace. “Yeah, you’re right. We can let Caterpie sleep while we do something else.” I gently placed Caterpie in my bag. “There we go. Now, what should we do next?”

Pikachu stepped in front of me. “Oh, right. Thanks for helping us find some leaves for Caterpie. I appreciate it.” It nodded and then pointed at me, saying that it wants to come along with us. “Do you really want to come with us? What about all your friends here?” It lowered its ears, explaining that it isn’t originally from this forest, so it lives here alone. “Well, that explains why we found you in the city yesterday. Okay, you can come along.”

Pikachu cheered.

“But first we have to battle, and I noticed you seem to be having a little problem with your Thunder Shock attack. Let’s see if Shinx and I can’t help you out.”

It agreed with a head nod and took off.

“Hey! Where are you going?” We chased after it.

★

After a couple of hours following Pikachu, we entered an empty clearing in the forest. The sun started to set. The air smelled clean and fresh here. Shinx barked to grab my attention, pointing off in the distance. Pikachu stood by a small lake, washing its face. “Hey, I didn’t think there was a lake this big here.”

We went over to Pikachu, where I looked out at the horizon. “It’s getting late, so I think this is a good spot to camp out. Pikachu, did you bring us here on purpose?” It nodded, and after taking a sip of water, it hopped over to the other side of the clearing. I laughed. “Then that must mean you want to battle. Am I right?” Pikachu sparked its cheeks. “You’re on, Pikachu. I’m going to catch you. Go Shinx!” I stood back to let Shinx step forward.

With the sunset in the background, I felt this was a perfect battling moment. Caterpie popped her head out of my bag to watch. “A battle between two Electric-type Pokémon. This will be fun. Shinx use Spark!” My Shinx sped forward enveloped in sparks.

Pikachu waited for the right moment and then hopped to the side, before smashing into Shinx with a speedy Tackle. “For someone who can’t use Thunder Shock very well, you sure can move. Shinx use Swift!” Shinx launched a Swift attack.

Pikachu canceled out the Swift stars with Sweet Kiss hearts before coming down with Iron Tail. “Dodge and then use Bite!” Shinx jumped back just as Pikachu slammed into the ground. Then Shinx chomped down on Pikachu’s tail. “Now throw it!” Shinx sent Pikachu flying.

Crashing into the ground, Pikachu dug in its heels to stay standing. Then it sparked its cheeks to ready a Thunder Shock. “Here it comes, Shinx!” Shinx growled. Pikachu jumped into the air. It tried launching an attack, but it failed again; Pikachu zapped itself and fell, knocking itself out.

“Pikachu!” I ran over to Pikachu and picked it up. “Man, you were so close too.” Pikachu frowned at me. “Well, that was still a great battle. Since we defeated you…” I pulled out an empty Poké Ball and held it up to Pikachu. “Let me catch you and then I’ll make sure you’re good as new.” It liked that idea. I gently tapped the Poké Ball against Pikachu’s head, and it went inside; three shakes and Pikachu was as good as mine. “Alright!”

I threw the Poké Ball into the air, calling out Pikachu. “Okay, what do you say we all have some dinner?” Shinx, Pikachu, and Caterpie all agreed.

We set up camp near an old tree stump. The Pokémon spread out a tarp on the ground for everyone to sit. I set out three empty bowls for three hungry Pokémon. Electric-type Pokémon food filled up two, and the other got stuffed with a pile of delicious leaves. “Well dig in, everyone!” They sure did. I helped myself to a sandwich.

To help everyone recover their energy, I gave out Oran Berries. “Here. These will help all of you to restore some energy, considering we all had an exhausting day.” They loved them.

While they ate, I used my Pokédex to get more information on Pikachu.

“So with your Thunder Shock not working, it seems to me that you’re not controlling your electricity very well. Maybe you’re not holding it in enough, or perhaps you’re not distributing it around your body properly.”

Pikachu turned her head, looking confused.

“Shinx, can you maybe explain?” He happily agreed and began talking to Pikachu. “He’s saying that when you use an electric attack like Thunder Shock, you have to focus on controlling all the electrical energy in your body all at once. If even a little gets out of control, it can shock you. Also, you have to spread the electricity all over your body so nothing gets too overwhelming, starting from a single point. For example, Shinx uses his tail as a primary point and then spreads the electricity out from there. You have electric pouches in your cheeks so that should be your primary point. Does any of that make sense?” She nodded.

I turned to all the Pokémon. “How about we do a little practice battling?” Everyone looked ready to go, especially Caterpie. “Did that battle get you ready to go?” She nodded her head, quickly scarfing down the rest of the leaves in her bowl. “Then that’s settled.”

After dinner, a little light remained in the sky, enough for one more battle between Pikachu and Caterpie. “Okay Pikachu, let’s get your Thunder Shock right! Caterpie, make sure to give it your best shot!” Both Pokémon looked psyched.

Like an official referee, Shinx called for the battle to begin. Pikachu attacked first with Quick Attack. “Dodge!” Caterpie used her String Shot to swing out of the way, like swinging on a vine. “Awesome! Try a Tackle!” She swung around a tree and launched herself at Pikachu, who came back with another Quick Attack. The Pokémon crashed into each other.

Jumping away from each other, Pikachu used Iron Tail. However, Caterpie used String Shot again. She turned Pikachu into a ball of web, using Tackle to knock her back. Pikachu broke free and sparked her cheeks for a Thunder Shock. “Okay Pikachu, remember what we talked about! Concentrate on all the electricity in your body!” Pikachu balled her fists. Leaping high into the air, Pikachu finally launched a Thunder Shock. It was so powerful, well, maybe a bit too powerful. Caterpie got zapped, falling back on the ground unconscious. “Caterpie!”

I picked up Caterpie. “Are you alright?” She opened her eyes and whined. “Hey, don’t worry. I’m so proud of you. That was an awesome job from both of you. You both are tougher than you look.” I smiled at the happy faces on them both, and then Pikachu celebrated her win by jumping all around.

It suddenly dawned on me.  _ That shape... that shade of yellow…!! _ I matched the outline of the yellow figure from yesterday to Pikachu’s outline, and came to a realization. “The Pokémon I saw yesterday was a Pikachu?!” I quietly gasped.

Only Caterpie heard me. She looked at me funny.

I laughed. “Oh, sorry. Just rambling a little. Don’t mind me.”

Suddenly, Shinx called out to us. “What is it, Shinx?” He told us to hurry and then took off. Pikachu ran after him. “Oh, now where are we going?!”

The two Electric-types ran over to a big tree and started climbing up. Caterpie used String Shot to ascend the branches, and I followed right behind. Everyone perched on a branch staring out at the horizon. “Man, you guys are fast. What is it?” Pikachu pointed out. I sat beside everyone and discovered what was so exhilarating.

The sun just went down past the mountains, but the treetops below were still lit up; in fact, there were hundreds of glowing objects scattered all over the forest. “What are they?” I asked.

My Pokédex responded quickly, “ _ Metapod the Cocoon Pokémon, and the evolved form of Caterpie. Using a hard shell to protect its body, it prepares for its next evolution. _ ”

“So those are Caterpie’s next forms?!” I was amazed, and Caterpie was too.

The four of us watched as the glowing cocoons started cracking open. A beautiful purple butterfly emerged from each one. Soon, hundreds of these Pokémon surrounded us. They released clouds of glittery scales from their brand new wings, learning to use them for the first time. With the moon rising up into the starry sky, it looked magical.

My Pokédex automatically scanned the butterflies, “ _ Butterfree the Butterfly Pokémon, and the evolved form of Metapod. The scales covering its wings help it to shed water. It flits from flower to flower, collecting honey and nectar. _ ”

“Hey, Caterpie, that’s what you’re going to become one day.” Caterpie looked so happy to see all the Butterfree. I grabbed her and placed her in my lap. Pikachu and Shinx sat right up against me. “My job as a Pokémon Trainer is to help you get there, and get strong. That goes for you guys too.” They all nodded their heads with big smiles on their faces. “So this is a vow to always work hard to accomplish our dreams. We’ll do it together!” I raised my fist in the air, cheering.

We spent the rest of the night watching the Butterfree. My bottom got sore from sitting on the tree branch for so long, but I just couldn’t get enough of how the Butterfree’s beautiful wings glittered in the moonlight. Several of them came over to greet us, taking a special interest in Caterpie. They flipped and twirled in midair, sprinkling glitter in every direction.

That night was one we’d remember for a long time!

★

The next morning, I woke up to bright rays of sunlight peeking through the treetops. My hand felt fresh grass and dirt, and then suddenly…

“That’s cold!!” I shot out of my sleeping bag, scooting away from the water’s edge. It took a moment before realizing I had dipped my hand straight into the lake. “Oh, that’s right. I fell asleep here. Maybe not so close to the water next time.”

I didn’t see anyone around, including my Pokémon. “Hey guys,” I said, looking around my little camp. A sleeping bag. An old tree lying on its side. The fire that no longer had life. Not one sign of movement from anything other than a piece of grass. “Where’d you guys go?”

Searching around, I found the old stump sitting nearby. Three figures were all curled up and sound asleep on top. “Oh, there you are!” The stump had a perfect view of the forest lake and the cloudy sky above. “Of course! You guys must’ve stayed up watching the Butterfree. I would’ve too if I didn’t nearly fall out of the tree.”

Observing the three sleeping figures, there was something unusual: one yellow, one yellow and blue, and one gold. It didn’t seem right. “Pikachu… Shinx… and Caterpie?” I realized that the third Pokémon wasn’t Caterpie at all, upon closer inspection. “No, not Caterpie!”

The Pokémon heard my astonishment and woke up, then happily jumped up and down. I recognized the figure from last night. It looked like the unevolved Butterfree, but gold instead of green. “You evolved into a Metapod! Did that happen when I was sleeping?” She nodded her head. “Oh man! I wish I didn’t fall asleep so quick. Sorry that I missed it, but congrats! I’m so happy for you.”

We must’ve been a little too loud because soon Pikachu and Shinx stirred awake. They stretched and gave big yawns.

Realizing that I was awake, Shinx barked and pointed at Metapod. I laughed. “Yeah, I saw. I’m bummed that I wasn’t awake, but it’s still so awesome!” He agreed.

Suddenly, we heard wings above our head. A bird Pokémon swooped down to the ground. It pecked at its feathers before investigating the grass for its breakfast. The bird looked like a Pidgey but bigger. “Who’s that Pokémon?”

The Pokédex replied, “ _ Pidgeotto the Bird Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pidgey. Pidgeotto is armed with sharp claws and dives from the sky to capture its prey. Unlike the more gentle Pidgey, this bird Pokémon can be dangerous. Approach with caution. _ ”

“Nice! Why catch a Pidgey when I can get a Pidgeotto? Let’s get it!” I yelled.

Before I picked someone, Metapod leaped towards Pidgeotto with Tackle. “Wait, Metapod! Careful!” She ignored me completely, knocking Pidgeotto into a tree, and then she cheered. “Good job, but you have to come back before it gets worse!” She looked confused and slightly worried.

Pidgeotto looked at Metapod and drooled. It flew up high and then dived, making its wings glow. “It’s coming in with Wing Attack! Protect yourself with Harden!” Metapod glowed a bright green color, the energy turning her shell as hard as a rock. Pidgeotto slashed at the rock-hard shell, only to recoil in pain. “Perfect! String Shot!” Metapod used her String Shot to pin Pidgeotto’s wings to its body, preventing it from escaping. “Throw it!” Rapidly spinning in circles, Metapod tossed the dizzy bird high into the air.

This was my moment. I grabbed an empty Poké Ball from my bag and threw it with all my strength. “Go Poké Ball!” The ball smacked Pidgeotto on the forehead, sucking it up inside. It landed on the ground. It shook once, twice, and with the third shake and a click, Pidgeotto was mine. “We did it!”

I picked up Pidgeotto’s Poké Ball. “Great! That’s one more Pokémon to add to the team, and that was a really great battle, Metapod. You’re stronger than you look.” Metapod smiled and jumped for joy before falling over from fatigue. “Oh boy. You should get some rest now.” With a nod, she retreated to her Poké Ball for a nap.

Suddenly, we heard a shout from out of the trees. A young boy sprung at me and swung a sword in my face. I jumped back when I found the tip pointed at my nose. “Are you the Trainer who hails from the town of Pallet?”

I gulped. “No. That’s not me. Who wants to know?”

“Then you must be the Pokémon Trainer who hails from another region.” He lowered his sword and cleared his throat. “I have no name. My title is Samurai. I am true, fearless and completely invincible in combat. I have been venturing this forest searching for new Pokémon Trainers. When word spread that several would be starting their journey from Pallet Town, I waited here for them.”

“Why? I’ll bet you’re waiting to steal their Pokémon, aren’t you?”

“Nonsense. I am no Pokémon thief. I simply search for the chance to have a battle with a worthy opponent.” He put away his sword. “But alas. My search continues.”

“Hey, wait! If you want a worthy opponent, you should battle me!”

“And who exactly are you?”

“I’m Rosa from Sunyshore City.”

“I would not battle with someone I see more like a loud shrieking maiden than a worthy opponent. Good day!”

That didn’t sit well with me. “Shrieking?!”

He started walking away. “I would advise you keep your voice down from now on while traversing through this forest, for a hive of Beedrill call this place their home and they don’t favor being disturbed.”

“Get back here! I’ll yell all I want until you battle me! Or are you too scared to lose?”

He turned back around. “Very well. As I said, I am fearless. Don’t start crying when you lose.”

“We’ll see who’s crying when we’re done.”

We spread out on the shore by the lake. My Pikachu and Shinx sat behind me. “Watch closely, you guys,” I said. “This will be over quick. You can go first, Samurai!”

“Gladly! Pinsir, I choose you!” Samurai threw a Poké Ball and called out a large, bipedal, brown beetle with giant thorned pincers on its head.

I looked it up on my Pokédex, “ _ Pinsir the Stag Beetle Pokémon. This fearsome Pokémon uses its powerful claws to put the squeeze on its opponents. _ ”

The look on Pinsir’s face sent chills down my spine. “It’s a little scary,” I muttered. I vigorously shook my head. “But we can’t get scared. Metapod can handle this!” I called out Metapod, who was eager to battle.

Samurai laughed at us. “Ha! Clumsy mistake, novice! Watch now as Pinsir crushes your Metapod in two!”

My subconscious got scared, imagining Pinsir cleanly splitting Metapod in half. “Those claws!” Then I heard a Pokémon call out to me. Metapod gestured that she’d be fine. “You’re right. I have to believe that my Pokémon can do it, and I do!”

“Pinsir use Vice Grip!” Pinsir charged forward, aiming its pincers at my Metapod.

“Metapod use Harden!” Raising her defensive power just in time, Metapod resisted being crushed in half by Pinsir. Instead, the thorns on its pincers chipped away, making Pinsir let go of Metapod. “Tackle!” Metapod slammed into Pinsir, knocking it out. “Yeah, good job!”

“Clever, quite clever!” Samurai recalled his Pokémon.

I put my hands on my hips. “Not so bad, huh? Now, who’s the novice?”

“We’ll see how you handle this next Pokémon. Go…!” He stopped.

I was confused. Nothing unusual happened. “What’s wrong?”

“A swarm of Beedrill approaches. Our match must end.”

“What do you mean a swarm of Beedrill?” Pikachu jumped on my shoulder, pointing at the trees on the other side of a lake. A loud buzzing sound could be heard, and then a yellow and black cloud rose from them. “You mean those?!”

My Pokédex scanned the Beedrill swarm, “ _ Beedrill the Poison Bee Pokémon, and the evolved form of Kakuna. Beedrill is the final evolved form of Weedle. Beedrill fly quickly and attack using very poisonous stingers on their forelegs and tail. _ ”

“They must’ve woken up from all your shrieking!” He turned and ran off. “Good day!”

Suddenly, a Beedrill swooped down and grabbed Metapod. “Oh no! Metapod return!” I tried calling Metapod back into her Poké Ball, but the red beam of light from the Poké Ball couldn’t get a clear shot. Beedrill dodged the Poké Ball’s light and flew past the trees. “Ah! It got away!”

A second Beedrill charged for me with its three stingers. However, Shinx and Pikachu protected me with a Thunder Shock and Shock Wave combination. Beedrill ran away scared of getting zapped again.

Samurai sprinted over to me. “Let’s move it!” He grabbed my arm and rushed us off.

I stared back at the Beedrill swarm. “But Metapod!”

Samurai, Shinx, Pikachu, and I sprinted through the forest with the Beedrill swarm hot on our tail. I hardly believed we would be fine with how fast they could fly, but their terrifyingly large stingers kept my feet going at full power.

At one point, we came into a thick grove of trees where a wood cabin could be seen in the distance. “My cabin! I think we can make it!” Samurai yelled.

The Beedrill all dived at us with their Poison Sting attack. We were just fast enough to sprint inside the cabin and lock the door behind us; the Beedrill instead stabbed holes through the wooden door and walls. We could peek through the holes in the wood to see the Beedrill buzzing around the house, waiting for someone to come back out.

I collapsed on the floor beside Shinx and Pikachu. “That was close,” I panted.

Samurai took off his helmet, setting it on a table. He then turned to me and said, “I hope you’ve learned your lesson, novice. Your loud shrieking almost cost us our lives.”

My feet stood up by themselves. “Take back that novice crap!”

“I do take it back because not even a novice would abandon their Pokémon so recklessly as you just did.”

I turned away, thinking about my Pokémon. My hands clenched into fists because I knew that he made a good point. “I tried to save Metapod.”

“Your Pokémon will pay for your inexperience. The other Pokémon Trainers from Pallet would never have been so irresponsible, or the Trainer coming here all the way from Sinnoh.”

My mind grabbed ahold of what he said. “Sinnoh? You mean you’ve met Paul?”

“Ah, yes. Not only him but Gary Oak and two other Pokémon Trainers as well. There were four spectacular matches, each greater than the last. Those Trainers really knew how to raise Pokémon. Even though I was defeated all four times, I was inspired to double my training efforts. I have been eagerly preparing for that day when finally I would battle against the next two Pokémon Trainers to cross this forest, one from Pallet Town and the other all the way from Sinnoh.”

I gawked at him. “So that means that Paul must’ve told you about me?”

“He did, which leaves me a bit shocked. He told me to expect another good Trainer from Sinnoh but compared to him and the others, you’re nothing more than a joke. I now wonder if he even knew what he was talking about.”

_ Paul said… another good Trainer? Me? _

I shook my head. “Watch it! Don’t go doubting his words! You said yourself that he was a great Trainer to fight, which means what he said must’ve been true!”

“Or maybe we just aren’t talking about the same person, novice.”

I bared my teeth, angry at him for insulting me beyond the breaking point. Still, I wasn’t about to pummel him when he was a bit right about Metapod. I kept quiet. The Beedrill never stopped circling the cabin, so I got stuck there all night.

We had dinner and then went to bed at a reasonable hour. Shinx and Pikachu slept at my side. I laid back in my sleeping bag on the floor. I had a perfect view of the window to see outside, considering I couldn’t sleep at all.

I gazed out at the moon. “Metapod, I promise I’ll find you tomorrow, and look after you better,” I whispered to myself. It was the only way I’d become a much better Pokémon Trainer, and after that, a World Champion.

★

Early the next morning, I began my search for Metapod. Not wanting to wake up Shinx and Pikachu, I left them back at the cabin with Samurai. I searched high and low for any sign of the Beedrill’s nest. It didn’t take long to find a huge tree with tons of orange cocoons hanging from its trunk. “Are those Pokémon?”

My Pokédex responded, “ _ Kakuna the Cocoon Pokémon, and the evolved form of Weedle. Kakuna remain inactive until they evolve into deadly Beedrill and hatch. _ ”

“That explains why they took Metapod. The color is exactly the same. Let’s see.” I snuck closer to get a good look at the Kakuna. Sitting at the base of the tree, one of the Kakuna looked different from the rest: Metapod! “I found you, Metapod!” I soon realized what a terrible mistake I just made.

Right after I yelled, a giant swarm of Beedrill rose out of the top of the tree. They looked angry that I had just woken them up. As scared as I felt, I sprinted towards the tree. The Beedrill locked onto me and dived with their Poison Sting; I counted at least thirty attackers. I still wouldn’t let them stop me.

Just before the Beedrill landed their attack, I jumped below their attacks, feeling a gust of wind as the Beedrill buzzed right past me. Then I threw a Poké Ball. “Pidgeotto use Gust!” With a great flap of her wings, she created a tornado that blew the Beedrill away. “Good job! Keep them busy for a second!”

I reached the tree where Metapod sat, rushing to her side. “There you are! Here. Get into the Poké Ball, Metapod.” However, she shook her head and rolled away from me. Seeing a look of sorrow in Metapod’s eyes, I realized that I lost her trust. “Metapod…”

There was a sudden cry.

A lone Beedrill attacked Pidgeotto with a Poison Sting. She fought back with Wing Attack, knocking it away. I recalled her and then took off with Metapod in my arms. “I didn’t abandon you, Metapod. I just got distracted. It was all Samurai’s fault… Ah!” I tripped on a root in the ground, dropping my Pokémon and falling flat on my face.

Getting up on all fours, I realized that I only lied to myself, and to Metapod too. “No, it wasn’t Samurai’s fault. It was my fault. If I was a better Pokémon Trainer, I wouldn’t make lame excuses.

“From now on, I swear I’ll never run away and leave my friends behind again. There will be no more excuses.” I ran over to pick up Metapod. It made me upset with myself that it was my carelessness that put my Pokémon’s life in danger. Amid tears, I could still speak. “I’m sorry, and I promise to take better care of you, and all my Pokémon.”

Suddenly another Beedrill charged at me, attacking with Twineedle. I had no time to defend myself. Instead, Metapod leaped into the Beedrill’s path, saving me, but in the process, its stinger tore into Metapod’s shell. Beedrill quickly flew away.

I cradled Metapod in my arms, thinking she had been badly injured. “Are you hurt, Metapod? Oh, please be okay!” Samurai, Shinx, and Pikachu joined my side with a protective bee net covering them, where my Pokémon raced over to see Metapod.

Then Metapod started to glow. The crack in her shell opened up more and more, pouring out tons of bright light. A winged figure hatched from the shell. The light faded away, revealing my newly evolved Butterfree as she flapped her wings and fluttered into the air.

I stared in awe, instantly driven to tears. “Butterfree...!” She floated down to my head and circled around me. I smiled at her. “Look how cute you are! You’re pink instead of purple!” She happily flailed her tiny hands and feet.

There was a sudden loud buzzing. “Here come the Beedrill!” Samurai called out.

The Beedrill swarm appeared from the trees, angrier than before.

Butterfree flew down in front of me. “Butterfree? Do you want to battle?” She nodded her head. “Okay, let’s do it! Butterfree, knock them out with your Sleep Powder!” Butterfree released a blanket of light green spores from her wings that put all the Beedrill to sleep, sending them falling to the ground. “You put them all to sleep! You’re the best, Butterfree!” I grabbed my Pokémon and hugged her tightly, spinning in circles.

“You were able to handle your Butterfree so well just after it evolved. Most impressive,” Samurai noted.

“Thank you! But definitely give Butterfree all of the credit!” Butterfree happily danced.

With the swarm of Beedrill all asleep, we returned to Samurai’s cabin. I made sure all of my Pokémon were back to full health and collected my things, recalling everyone but Shinx to their Poké Balls.

Samurai led me and Shinx to the edge of the thick trees, where we could see a trail start to lead out of the forest. “This trail will lead you to Pewter City,” Samurai explained.

“Thanks, Samurai, but we never got to finish our match,” I said.

“Compared with you, my friend, I am the novice. I will keep perfecting my technique, and one day we will meet again.”

“I’m sure it will be a spectacular match.”

“That is guaranteed.”

“See ya, Samurai!” I waved as Shinx and I walked off.


	5. A Rocky Battle

Finally making it to our destination, I jumped on top of a huge boulder to get a look at the city lying before us. “Yay! Pewter City!” Shinx collapsed on the rock beside me, sighing in relief. “I agree. I thought we’d never get out of that forest.”

Suddenly a voice spoke, “Pewter City is grey. The color is stone. This town has always been famous for stone.”

Startled, I looked to find an older man sitting on a rocky shelf below. “Who are you?”

“The name’s Flint, and you’re standing on some of my merchandise, young lady.”

“Oh, sorry.” I hopped off the boulder. Then I looked around at a collection of various rocks on shelves, and they all had price tags. “Do you mean that you sell rocks?”

“Pewter City souvenirs. Would you like one?”

“No, thanks. I’m traveling, trying to become a great Pokémon Trainer.”

“Well, your Pokémon looks a little worn out. Why don’t I show you to the Pokémon Center?” He got up and walked off.

“That sounds good. What do you say, Shinx?” Shinx nodded his head.

“By the way, that’ll be a two-dollar charge for resting on my rocks.”  _ No way! _

✦

Flint took me to the Pokémon Center, rather easy to find. When I got there, I placed all of my Poké Balls onto a tray, plus Shinx, and brought it to the front counter. “Can someone please take care of my Pokémon?”

“Sure thing, Rosa,” replied a nurse working there.

She looked eerily familiar. “Uh, Nurse Joy?”

“Yes, I’m Nurse Joy.”

“But you were in Viridian City, and this is Pewter City.”

“The Nurse Joy in Viridian City is my little sister. I’m the older one. I’ve heard nice things about you from her.”

“Oh, uh, thank you.” I watched a Chansey come over and take away my Pokémon. “By the way, could you tell me how to get to the Gym?”

“Head north of here. A giant stone building near the end of town, it’s pretty noticeable. Hard to miss.”

“Awesome. I’m going there to get a Badge right after everybody’s all healed up.”

“Are you registered for the Kanto League?”

I tilted my head. “Kanto League?”

“I take that as a  _ no _ . To earn Badges in any region, you have to be registered first.” She saw my worried look and laughed. “There’s no need to panic though, as I can do that here.”

“Really? That’d be great.”

“I’ll just need your Pokédex, please.” I handed it over, where she inserted it into her computer and processed the information. “When I heard you were a Pokémon Trainer, I thought maybe my sister would’ve already registered you back in Viridian. I guess not.”

“Yeah, she didn’t mention anything about the League to me.”

“You should take a look at that poster after we’re all done here.” Just as she said it, my Pokédex popped back out of the computer. “Here’s this back, and now you’re all good to collect Badges from the Kanto region. You’ll want to put them in here.” She handed me a black, metal case with a Poké Ball symbol. “This is your Badge case.”

It opened with the click of a button, showing a padded interior. “Wow, this is awesome!”

“Any other questions about the Pokémon League?”

“Don’t think so, but I know where to find you if any come to mind.”

She smiled. “And I’ll have your Pokémon back out in about an hour.” She walked away.

I went over to a bulletin board. A large poster sat right in the middle, decorated with lots of big letters and bright colors. I read it, a smile growing on my face:

_ Pokémon League Regional Championships! _

_ To compete, Pokémon Trainers are required to defeat eight Gym Leaders from eight different cities and collect their Badges as proof. _

I pumped a fist into the air. “Yes! Here’s my ticket to becoming a World Champion, and my first Badge will come from right here in Pewter City!”

With nothing else to do until my Pokémon healed up, I ate lunch at the cafeteria. Stuffing my face with noodles helped the sudden rush of nerves. “I need to come up with a strategy for the Gym battle,” I mumbled.

“I’m well aware that Gym Leaders are different from everyday Trainers, but I still have to defeat them if I want to get any closer to becoming the World Champion. My priority should be finding out what type of Pokémon the Gym Leader will use.” Thinking about it, I sighed. “That’ll be hard without asking the Gym Leader himself.”

I thought about my dream, and the trials I expected to go through to accomplish it. “I can’t worry about it. My Pokémon are all in top form right now. There’s no way we’re going to lose.”

After finishing my food, I paid the bill and went back to the Pokémon Center. My timing was perfect. Nurse Joy stood at the counter with three Poké Balls and a Shinx. “Well, Rosa, no more waiting. Shinx and your other Pokémon are all back to normal.”

“That’s great. Thank you.” Shinx hopped onto my shoulder. Then Pikachu popped out of her Poké Ball and climbed up beside Shinx. “Pikachu, what are you doing outside your Poké Ball?”

Nurse Joy giggled. “It seems your Pikachu isn’t so fond of its Poké Ball either.”

“Oh? Is that true?” Pikachu nodded her head. “Well, that’s alright, I guess, but the same rules that apply to Shinx apply to you too.” She agreed. “So, everyone ready for our Gym battle?” They both loudly cheered, so we headed out right away.

★

We stepped up to the Pewter Gym. It appeared just as Nurse Joy described it, a large stone building. I found the name in bold, red letters across the top. I knocked on the front doors. “Hello, is anyone there? I’m here to have a battle, please!”

We waited a while for an answer, but none came.

A bit frustrated, I crossed my arms and huffed. “What’s up? Is there some secret to getting inside, or is nobody home?” Shinx tapped my leg. He held a piece of paper in his mouth, which had tape on it. “A note? Where’d you get this?” He pointed to a large boulder near the doors. I read it:

_ To all Pokémon Trainers, _

_ I’m sorry, but the Pewter Gym is closed today due to a family emergency. I’ll reopen and start accepting battles first thing in the morning. Sorry for the holdup. _

_ – Brock _

“Really?” I sighed, sticking the paper back onto the rock. “Well, I can’t do anything about that. Families do come first, don’t they? We’ll have to wait to battle until tomorrow.” Pikachu asked about what to do instead. “Don’t worry. We can spend the rest of today training. I think I know what type of Pokémon we’ll be battling.” It was pretty difficult to ignore the multitude of rocks surrounding us.

Suddenly a voice called out to me, “Excuse me!” We turned around to find a little boy wearing a striped shirt and jeans. This boy looked like he had just returned from the grocery store, but he seemed younger than me. “Miss, are you here to have a Gym battle?”

I nodded. “That’s right, but it looks like it’s closed today. The Gym Leader left a note saying he had a family emergency.”

“Well, it’s not that big of an emergency. My little brother and sister are just sick.”

My eyes widened. “Wait? What? Do you know the Gym Leader?”

“His name is Brock. He’s my big brother.”

I jumped back in surprise. “What?! Seriously?!”

“I’ll introduce you to him if you want. I’m sure he’ll love that.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll see.” He walked off. “By the way, I’m Forrest. And I like your Pokémon.”

“I’m Rosa.” We ran after him. “And thanks.”

Forrest led me around back. We found a house attached to the Gym. It shocked me more than it shocked him, that’s for sure. “This is my house. Brock and the rest of my brothers and sisters are all inside.”

“How many siblings do you have?”

“Including Brock, nine.”

“Wow!”  _ That’s way too many. _

We walked up to the front door, where Forrest popped it open with his foot. He stepped in without a problem, gesturing for me to follow. “Come inside. It’s alright.”

I followed his lead, warily stepping inside. “Um, thank you.” I bowed slightly and removed my shoes.

With nobody running over to greet us, Forrest screamed at the top of his lungs, “Hi, everyone! I’m home from the store, and I brought along a friend too. They’re a Pokémon Trainer.”

The entire house echoed, “A Pokémon Trainer?!”

Appearing from absolutely nowhere, six little kids swarmed around me and asked all sorts of questions. Shinx and Pikachu got startled and scrambled on top of my head, trying to avoid their tails getting yanked. “Hello… Hello, everyone! I’m Rosa,” I stuttered.

I heard a shout from a connecting room. “Forrest, we don’t have time for visitors. Your two littlest siblings are sick, and we’ve got to make sure they get better.” A much older boy came walking out of a kitchen with a bowl of hot water. He saw us and approached me without missing a beat, ignoring the kids completely. He grabbed my hand and slightly bowed. “Miss, I’m sorry, but this is a terrible time to ask for a date. Of course, if you’d like to get together later and have coffee, I’d be more than happy to spend time with a pretty lady like you.”

I was speechless and baffled. “You...must be Brock?”

“I’m flattered you already know my—” Before he could continue, Shinx made his teeth glow and chomped down on his hand. “Ow!” The guy fell backward, throwing the bowl of water into the air. His siblings caught it without spilling any, somehow.

I shrieked. “Ah, sorry! Shinx can get a little protective of me. We don’t just bite people out of nowhere! Say sorry!” Shinx completely ignored me, glaring down at Brock with tiny fangs showing.

Brock got to his feet. “Don’t worry about it. That was more my fault. Now, what was I doing? Oh yeah!” He grabbed the bowl of water and hurried into another room.

Everyone else stayed around me. I couldn’t keep track of the little kids’ questions. They kept grabbing at Shinx and Pikachu, wanting to get a closer look. “They all want to be Pokémon Trainers, like Brock, so they think you’re awesome,” Forrest said.

“Is that so? Well then, I have a treat for you.” I took out the other two Poké Balls and called out my other Pokémon. “How about you all play with these kids for a bit? Be gentle.” Only Shinx stayed at my side. The rest happily ran off to play with everyone.

I went to find Brock. In one of three bedrooms, he stood beside two little kids lying in separate beds, putting wet towels on their foreheads. “What happened to them?” I asked.

“They both got sick with the flu this morning.”

Shinx jumped onto the windowsill and looked down at both of the kids. “Did they both get the same one?”

“I think it was a Pokémon outside that hit them with an attack. They’re twins, and they spend every moment with each other.”

“And there are a lot of Poison-types around here, so that would make sense.”

“Right. I gave some medicine to deal with everything, but it’s not strong enough to recover in a day. It’s hard enough having to close the Gym for today.”

“I bet you don’t want to close the Gym down for longer, huh?”

Brock replied with a simple head nod.

We watched Shinx approach the little girl. He nuzzled her cheek for a second, before going over to the boy and doing the same. It made me smile. “He’s trying to make them feel better.”

“You’ve got a kind-hearted Pokémon with you. That’s for sure.”

“Definitely.” Shinx returned to me, where I scratched his head. That’s when I got a possible idea. “Wait! Brock, are you positive that it was a Pokémon’s attack that did this?”

“Hmm. Well, the symptoms appear to be the same as a Pokémon getting poisoned.”

“Have you thought about feeding them medicine using a Lum Berry?”

“A Lum Berry? Aren’t those kinds of berries only for Pokémon though?”

“No, they have the same healing effect on people too!” I hurriedly searched through my bag, hoping I didn’t give away all of my stock the other day. “I learned it a while back after getting sick. My brother’s an expert Pokémon Trainer. He told me. Ah! Here we go!” I successfully found two green berries, holding them out. “Both kids have to eat the whole fruit to get the full effect. Mashing them up might make them easier to eat.”

Brock rushed to prep the Lum Berries. I stayed behind, rubbing the kids’ foreheads with a warm towel to keep their fevers down. Shinx gave me a hand. When Brock returned, I helped him feed his two siblings, Tommy and Tina.

After finishing the blended berries, we saw instant results. “It’s working. Their fevers seem to be going down.”

I could also see their tiny chests moving a lot better. “And they’re breathing better too.”

Brock turned up a humidifier before we all left, closing the door to let the kids rest. “That was brilliant. At this rate, they’ll be better in just a couple of hours. Thanks so much!”

I grinned. “It was nothing. I’m just glad I had those berries.”

“Oh yeah. I never got your name.”

“It’s Rosa.”

“Nice to finally meet you, Rosa.”

“Nice to finally meet you too, Brock.” We both laughed.

“So, I take it you’re planning on challenging me to a battle for tomorrow.”

“Yes, please!”

“Well, to show my thanks, I’d love to let you and your Pokémon stay for dinner. Then we can have a battle first thing in the morning.”

“Really? That’d be great, Brock!” Shinx jumped for joy.

That evening, I ate dinner with my Pokémon, Brock, and his many siblings, including Tommy and Tina. Brock cooked everything, even the food for my Pokémon. “Sorry ahead of time if any of them reject your food, especially Shinx. He’s picky,” I said as we started eating.

Shinx hesitantly took a piece of kibble into his mouth and chewed. His eyes instantly popped out of his sockets.

I gave him a look. “Is that a good sign or bad?”

After a moment, Shinx bounced around. Then he stuck his face into the bowl and tore into his dinner.

My jaw hit the floor. “This is incredible, Brock! What’d you put in the recipe? I’m not even able to make food he likes yet.”

Brock laughed. “I guess I just have a talent for cooking.”

“No kidding. This food is delicious too.” I held a bowl of chicken and vegetable stew before me, and it tasted amazing. It reminded me of a chicken pot pie without the pie.

“I’m glad it all tastes good. I can give you the recipe for the stew. As for the Pokémon food, I’ve been working on my recipe for years. I’ve finally gotten it to a point where it only needs a small tweak to fit any Pokémon’s diet.”

“That’s top chef stuff, Brock!”

He grinned. “You think so?”

Forrest tapped my shoulder. “You want to know why everything tastes so good? It’s because Brock is trying to become a Pokémon Breeder.”

“That true?” I asked.

“There’s no hiding it. I know I’m a Gym Leader, but I want more than anything to become the world’s best Pokémon Breeder. I love taking care of and raising Pokémon, even more than battling with them.”

“I get that. My dream is to become the Pokémon World Champion. It’s the strongest Trainer in the world. However, to be the strongest Trainer, I have to know how to take care of my Pokémon like a great breeder. I’m also trying to work on a recipe of my very own for my Pokémon, but so far it’s not turning out too well. Right, Shinx?” He frowned and nodded. “My food isn’t quite tasting great yet.”

“I’d be more than happy to give you some tips if you’d like.”

“You mean it?” I pumped a fist into the air. “Hooray! Oh, can I ask something?”

“Go ahead.”

“I can guess that you study up a lot on Pokémon Breeding, but why don’t you travel?”

“It’s true that traveling would be a great way to meet lots of Pokémon and learn different ways of raising them. Your Shinx is an excellent example of that. I’ve never seen that Pokémon here in Kanto, so I know that must be from a different region, which means there’s a whole separate region filled with Pokémon that I have no clue how to handle or anything.

“Unfortunately, a lot of my time is eaten up by numerous Gym challenges and taking care of all my brothers and sisters.”

“Do you have a mom or dad to rely on?”

Brock frowned. “Not really. My father left home to become a Pokémon Trainer.”

I stared at him. “Just like that? Leaving his whole family behind?”

“Yeah. When my father never returned, my mother left on a journey as well. That left me to take care of everyone here. That’s why I can never leave. I can’t just leave my siblings here alone or the Gym without a Gym Leader.”

I frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that, Brock, and for asking that kind of question. It must be hard.”

“Ah, don’t worry. It is hard, but I’ve gotten used to it.” He rubbed Forrest’s head.

_ That doesn’t mean it’s okay for your parents to leave like that though. _

I rose onto my feet. “Ok, here’s the deal, Brock! My dream may not be to become the world’s best Pokémon Breeder, but I still have to become a great one. It’s a requirement for my goal. I need to raise and take care of Pokémon all on my own without anyone’s help.

“And tomorrow, we’ll have a battle! I’ll show you how determined I am, how far I’m willing to go with my Pokémon, to become a great Pokémon Trainer  _ and _ a great Pokémon Breeder, for you.”

He gazed at me before standing up beside me. “I like that idea. Thank you, Rosa. That’d make me happy to have a friend to fulfill my dream for me. And if you win that Badge, it’ll be proof that I’m trusting you with it.” We shook on it.

After dinner, I said goodbye to Brock before going back to the Pokémon Center. He told me that we’d both battle with two Pokémon each, giving me a chance to pick out my team for tomorrow. Despite all four of my Pokémon being at a disadvantage against Rock-types, I picked out the two members who’d have a slightly easier time. We trained a bit before bed. “I know you both will be great tomorrow!” I said to them.

★

We stepped back up to the Pewter Gym in the morning. Knocking on the door, it opened by itself. “I’m here, Brock. We’re ready for our battle.” I let myself into the pitch-black room. Torches lit up the walls, and lights flickered on overhead. We found ourselves right in front of a battlefield littered with boulders of all sizes. “Wow, this is a rock Gym for sure.”

“You figured it out. Congratulations!” Brock sat on a pedestal on the other side. He stood up. “And I hope you’re ready for an excellent fight on it.”

“I’m ready!”

“Then let’s begin.” He jumped over to his side of the field. “I’ll explain the rules. As I told you yesterday, we’ll both use two Pokémon. The battle will be over when all Pokémon on either side are unable to continue. Also, you’re allowed to substitute Pokémon, whereas the Gym Leader, myself, may not. That’s pretty standard for all Gyms. Sound good?”

“Sounds fair to me.”

“You have the honors then. Give me all you’ve got, Rosa!” I saw the passion in his eyes.

I looked at my left shoulder. “Pikachu, it’s showtime!”

Brock looked surprised. “You’re battling with Pikachu? I thought you figured out what type of Pokémon I use.”

“Oh, I figured it out. I’m still going with Pikachu!”

He smirked. “Very well. Geodude, go!” Brock called out a small rock with arms.

I pulled out my Pokédex. “Dex, do you mind?”

My Pokédex beeped, “ _ Geodude the Rock Pokémon. Geodude has incredibly high defensive power, making it virtually resistant to any physical attacks. _ ”

“This might be a bit tough. You can have the first attack,” Brock said.

“The first is all I need! Pikachu, give it a Thunder Bolt!” Pikachu jumped in the air and launched a massive bolt of lightning at Geodude. In one hit, Geodude got fried. It collapsed on the ground. “Yeah! Right out of the box!”

Brock’s jaw hit the floor. However, he kept calm, recalling his Pokémon. “Nice job. You’ve certainly raised that Pikachu well, and you haven’t been on a journey that long, right?”

“A week or so, I think. And I caught Pikachu halfway through it.”

“Well, still, it won’t be a match for my next Pokémon. Go!” A giant snake made of rocks came out onto the field. It roared so loud my ears hurt.

“What’s that?!” Shinx hid behind me.

Dex beeped, “ _ Onix the Rock Snake Pokémon. It tunnels through the ground, which shakes when it raises its thunderous roar. It can burrow at fifty miles per hour. _ ”

Pikachu took one look at Onix before lashing out with another Thunder Bolt. She squeezed her eyes shut, though, and failed to aim her attacks. One attack hit Onix, one smashed into the ceiling up above, and another nearly hit Shinx and me. “Hey, Pikachu, try to watch where you’re aiming!” Pikachu paused to open her eyes.

“A weak attack like that won’t get through Onix’s hard body. Tackle it!” Brock wasted no time commanding his Pokémon. Onix threw its giant head straight at Pikachu.

She quickly dashed out of the way, letting Onix slam its head into the ground. “Find an opening and hit it with another Thunder Bolt!”

“Don’t let it escape, Onix!” Onix tried tackling Pikachu a second time. Though it failed, it reached out with its tail and grabbed Pikachu. “Now bind it!” With its tail wrapped tightly around Pikachu’s small body, Onix squeezed her, hard.

“Quick! Give it another one!” The next series of Thunder Bolts did hit Onix, but none of them damaged it nearly enough to take it out. “Err, hang in there, Pikachu! Keep hitting it with your—”

The sprinklers suddenly came on. Feeling the water on his body, Onix started roaring out in pain. “Onix!” Brock screamed.

“How did those turn on?” Looking at Pikachu, I gasped. “Maybe her attacks caused a fire or something. Ah, nevermind! Now’s our chan—!” Without even attacking, Onix tumbled over on its side, releasing its grip on Pikachu. The water inflicted lots of damage, and it needed just one hit to be knocked out.  _ Then we’d win! But… _

_ That wouldn’t be right, would it? _

Thinking hard, I made the tough choice of calling the battle off. “Pikachu return!” Pikachu gazed back at me, surprised, but then returned without question.

Brock was stunned. “What are you doing, Rosa? The match isn’t over yet!”

“Sorry, Brock, but it is. Those sprinklers going off was just an accident. Winning the match because of that would’ve have proved anything for me. Get Onix healed up, and I’ll come back later for a rematch. Then, I’ll beat you fair and square.”

“But—”

“Until then!” I bowed and headed outside, accompanied by my two Pokémon.

On my way out the door, a voice called from behind us. “Hey! Hey, wait up, Rosa!”

I turned to find Brock catching up with us. “Brock?”

“Rosa, you forgot this.” He held out an octagon-shaped pendant.

I gazed at it. “A Badge for defeating a Gym Leader? You know I can’t accept that. Since I called off the battle and gave up, I lost.”

“Nah, I lost to you. You beat me in battle and in being kind to people and Pokémon.”

“Huh? But… I still…”

“Remember how I told you that I prefer raising Pokémon over making them battle?”

“Yeah.”

“You know my dream is to become a great Pokémon Breeder. I can’t leave here since I have to look after my siblings. So instead, I want you to fulfill my dream for me, Rosa.”

“Me?!”

“You said yourself that you also want to become a great breeder! Our battle today did show me how determined you are to achieve your goals. So, I wanted to ask if you’d take this Badge on your way to fulfilling your dreams, and mine too. Will you do that for me?”

I couldn’t believe my eyes. Staring down at the Badge, I had my answer. “I will, Brock, and I’ll do my best to deserve this too.”

He gave a smile. “Thank you, Rosa. So, here’s a Boulder Badge.”

“Thank you.” I showed the Badge to Shinx and Pikachu. “Check it out, guys! Our very first Badge!” They both cheered, with Pikachu making a peace sign. I mimicked it. “Right! Go, team! One down, seven to go.” I put the Badge into its designated case, safely storing it in my bag.

“So, where are you headed to for your second Badge?”

“I’m not quite sure yet. I need to consult my map.”

“Might I suggest a place? How about Cerulean City?”

“Cerulean City?”

Brock pointed to the east. “You see that snowy peak on the horizon? That’s called Mt. Moon. Cerulean City is right on the other side of it. I’d say it’s the closest Gym to here.”

I nodded. “Well then, that’s settled! Which means we better head out as soon as possible.”

“Take care, Rosa. Maybe we’ll meet again soon.”

“Something tells me we will. Later!” I waved before taking off with my Pokémon at my side.


	6. A Zubat and a Moon Stone

That next morning, Shinx, Pikachu, and I set out at sunrise. After making a quick stop to stock up on supplies, we stepped outside the boundaries of Pewter City. We found signs labeled  _ Pewter City _ and  _ Cerulean City _ .

Underneath the Cerulean City arrow, a separate note warned travelers about going through Mt. Moon. “I wonder why? If it was dangerous to cross through the mountain, you think Brock would’ve mentioned something,” I said.

Shinx and Pikachu both shrugged their shoulders. We decided to continue but remain cautious.

The road stayed quiet. I only heard the footprints of myself and Shinx. Pikachu sat in my bag for the journey. It remained silent between the three of us until Shinx asked me about seeing Brock again. “Well, I would like to see him again once my Pokémon Breeding skills are closer to his level. After all, I made him a promise, and I intend to keep it.”

Shinx grinned at me.

“Come on, Shinx. I can’t possibly think about that now. I’ve got to deal with more important things. Besides, he’s not my type anyway.”

Pikachu asked why not.

“I don’t know. I can’t explain it very well. He just isn’t. I know just by looking at Brock that he could never be the one.” They both accepted my answer.

Laughing, I winked at them. “So let me know if somebody more suitable comes around, and I don’t notice. Do whatever you want with anyone else.”

A pink Pokémon suddenly emerged from the bushes in front of us, with huge blue eyes and pointy ears. “What’s that?”

Dex answered that question. “ _ Jigglypuff the Balloon Pokémon. It captivates foes with its huge, round eyes and lulls them to sleep by singing a soothing melody. When this Pokémon sings, it never pauses to breathe. If it is in a battle against an opponent that does not easily fall asleep, Jigglypuff will endanger its life. _ ”

I shivered. “That sounds like a miserable Pokémon. I don’t know if we should catch it.”

“Hold it right there!” A girl sprung out in front of us, armed with a single Poké Ball. “I’m going to be catching this Jigglypuff! Understand?!”

Raising my hands, I stepped back. “Go ahead. I wasn’t interested anyway.”

“I don’t believe you! I’ll battle you for it!”

My temper snapped like a twig. “I said I wasn’t interested! Now, catch it before it gets away!” The Jigglypuff raced towards some bushes.

“Go Poké Ball!” She tossed the Poké Ball, catching the Jigglypuff. “Finally! I’ve been chasing that Jigglypuff forever.”

“Amateur.” I started to walk away with my Pokémon.

The girl jumped in my way again. “Hey! We still have to battle.”

“Why? You caught that Jigglypuff fair and square. I didn’t want it anyway.”

“You were eyeing it even after I caught it, so a battle we must have.”

“Were you dropped on your head as a baby?”

“Oh, I’ve had enough of you. Go, Nidoran!” She called out a male Nidoran.

Unable to resist the pull of an easy battle, I sighed. “If you insist on getting your butt kicked, then here. Butterfree, it’s showtime!” Butterfree flew high above Nidoran, already proving to have an advantage.

“Ha! You might have a pretty pink Pokémon, but there’s a whole lot more to a Pokémon than how it looks. Nidoran use Fury Swipes!”

“Stupid! You don’t think I already know that?! Butterfree, send it back with Gust!” She kicked up a mighty wind, sending Nidoran flying.

“Ah!” She watched her Nidoran fall on the ground in front of her. “Nidoran, get up!”

“Not a chance. You wanted to battle. Give it Stun Spore!” Butterfree flew above Nidoran and showered him in yellow glitter. Nidoran couldn’t move anymore. “Like our little paralysis trick?”

“That was a cheap trick. Nidoran use Poison Sting!” Her Pokémon still couldn’t move.

“Finish this with Confusion!” Butterfree picked up Nidoran with a limited amount of psychic energy, threw him high into the air, and launched him straight into the ground. He got knocked out.

The girl’s face turned as white as a sheet. “Nidoran!!”

“That’s why you don’t just challenge people for no reason at all. Thanks, Butterfree.” I pet my Pokémon’s head. Shinx and Pikachu cheered for us both.

The girl recalled her Pokémon. “Okay, I admit it. Sorry for attacking you out of the blue like that. I’ve just been so frustrated trying to catch Jigglypuff.”

I laughed. “I get it. Not all Pokémon are easy to catch. I spent three whole days trying to catch a Pokémon. It failed each time, but eventually, I caught one.” I gestured back to my butterfly. “That’s when all that work pays off.”

“Are you a new Trainer then, like me?”

“That’s right. I came here from the Sinnoh region a week ago.”

“Oh. That’s funny. I met another Trainer from Sinnoh just yesterday.”

My ears perked up a little. “You did? Did he have purple hair?”

“He did, too purple for a guy though. It was weird, but even with weird hair, he was super strong. There was no way I could beat him. Why? Do you know him?”

“He’s sort of a friend of mine, and I’ve been trying to catch up with him. Did he mention where he’d be going next?”  _ I can’t believe I’m asking her to talk more. _

She pointed at the big mountain in our path. “To Mt. Moon. It’s the big mountain just ahead. There’s a trail that leads up to the caves.”

“Hey, thanks a lot! Let’s go, everybody!” Recalling Butterfree, I ran off.

Shinx caught up with me to ask what the rush was about. Pikachu jumped on my shoulder and asked the same question.

“There’s no mistaking it. That’s Paul, and if she saw him yesterday, it means he’s gotten ahead of me. I can’t let that happen. We’ve got to find him, and when we do, we’ll run right past him to Cerulean City.”

★

It took no time at all getting to the base of Mt. Moon, running up a dirt trail that led directly to a cave. I stopped to take a breath. “That was a nice jog. We’ll have lunch when we find Paul.” I took a second to inspect the cave, where only a little bit of light pierced the pitch-black darkness inside. “Man, it’s dark in there,” I groaned, rubbing my arms. “We’ll need a way to see.”

Pikachu and Shinx oddly stepped into the cave. “What are you two doing?” I followed them inside.

My two Pokémon closed their eyes. Then they started to glow yellow and blue, lighting up a decent portion of the cave around us. “Wow! When did you guys learn Flash?” They both looked at each other and shrugged.

We made our way deeper and deeper into the beautiful cave. My Pokémon’s light made the walls glitter. “I read that this mountain is famous for being made by meteors falling from the sky. That’s why everything is so glittery, from the large deposit of Moon Stones left here. Stay on the lookout for any.”

We made it to a fork in the path, splitting into three different tunnels. “Well, great. A map would be nice for this.” We had no clue which one to take. “Let’s pick one. This way!” I pointed to the leftmost path, and we headed down it.

We hit a dead-end. “Aw, man!” I sulked a little, patting the wall. “Sorry, guys, it wasn’t right.”

Heading back to the fork, I held Pikachu up in the air. “Pikachu, your turn.” She pointed straight. That path ended up leading nowhere as well, and she felt terrible about it. I rubbed her head. “Don’t worry. At least we know which path is the  _ right _ one now.”

They didn’t appreciate my pun...

We ventured down the rightmost path. It seemed much longer than the other two. “Yeah, now we’re getting somewhere. Keep this up, and we’ll find Paul in no time! As long as we don’t run into anymore—”

We ran into another fork. “Man, you’ve gotta be kidding me!”

Shinx and Pikachu barked at me to be quiet.

“Sorry. But this is awful. We can’t afford to keep searching every path, or we’ll be stuck in here for days.” Pikachu pointed at Shinx and me. “You’re right. Maybe there is a Pokémon around that can help us.”

We carefully inspected the three paths, keeping an eye out for wild Pokémon. I wanted to catch a Pokémon to help us out, but I was rather picky about who to catch. It had to be someone that I’d want to catch for more than simply guiding us through dark caves. We found several Paras, Geodude, and ran into a Sandshrew every once in a while.

At one point, a little pink Pokémon with wings came out from the shadows. “I think that’s a Clefairy.”

Dex beeped. “ _ Clefairy the Fairy Pokémon. They say that happiness will come to those who see a gathering of Clefairy dancing under a full moon. The moonlight stored in the wings on its back gives it the ability to float in midair. _ ”

“Clefairy are native to the mountain, so they should know how to get through here. Let’s catch it! Pikachu use Quick Attack!” Pikachu slammed right into Clefairy. However, it fought back by blowing pink hearts in her face. “That’s Sweet Kiss!” Pikachu got confused and started dancing around. Clefairy then slapped my Pokémon in the face repeatedly. “Oh no.” Pikachu got knocked into my arms. Clefairy ran away, and I had no energy to chase it.

I hugged my Pikachu. “Are you okay?” She smiled at me, but apologized. “Eh, Clefairy wasn’t right for our team anyways. We’ll find another Pokémon that stands out so much we have to catch it.”

Just then a horde of blue and purple bats came zooming towards us. I screamed and covered my head to avoid getting hit. “What are these?”

My Pokédex beeped. “ _ Zubat the Bat Pokémon. It forms colonies in very dark places like caves. It uses ultrasonic waves to identify and approach targets due to being blind. These waves also act as sonar to check for objects in its way. _ ”

“They must’ve gotten startled from our battle.” I ducked to avoid a Wing Attack. “Maybe we can catch one. That sonar might get us through this mountain. Let’s pick one. Shinx use Shock Wave! Pikachu use Thunder Bolt!” My Pokémon launched their attacks, dazing the bats quite a bit. “The last one standing is the one we catch. Deal?”

My electric Pokémon attacked the Zubat horde repeatedly with their super effective moves, hoping to single one of them out. Some tried attacking us, but most of them fled the instant they took damage.

Eventually, we thinned the horde until only one Zubat remained. “And this one still wants to fight. Excellent!” It flapped its wings and then released an ear-splitting screech from its fanged mouth. I covered my ears. “That’s Supersonic! Don’t listen to it or it’ll confuse you!”

However, covering our ears gave Zubat a chance to strike with Wing Attack. “Hang in there! It’s already taken a bunch of damage, so this shouldn’t last long. Shinx use Swift!” Zubat took a direct hit at point-blank range. “Go Poké Ball!” I smacked Zubat in the face with the ball. It didn’t struggle at all. “Yay!”

Retrieving the ball, I held it out to my Pokémon. “Thanks, guys! This cave should be a whole lot easier now. Zubat, come out!” Our new friend emerged, not instantly wanting to attack us thankfully.

“Sorry, we startled you, Zubat, but welcome to the team!” I put a hand on my chest. “I’m Rosa.”

Zubat made a low screech before landing on my head.

“Here’s an Oran Berry for all those injuries we caused. You guys, too.” I handed out berries to each of my Pokémon, hoping to make up for all the chaos just now.

Once everyone seemed better, I grabbed Zubat’s attention. “Now Zubat, we need your help getting through this mountain. It’s taking too long to explore each path separately. Can you do it?”

She took flight.

Looking around for a bit and screeching at a medium volume, Zubat darted down the tunnel. My Pokémon kept a close eye on the bat, and we all chased after her.

Zubat brought us to yet another fork in the path. She gazed around and screeched once more before moving to the left path’s entrance. “This is so awesome! We’ll get out of here in no time with Zubat’s help. Now, lead the way!”

Navigating through the mountain proved to be just another day for Zubat. Despite being blind, she used her Supersonic attack to detect walls, rock formations, and other objects, just like it said in the Pokédex. She even discovered Pokémon, who I nearly stepped on quite a few times. They got upset for being disturbed, but we apologized and continued without battling.

At one point, we walked down another long pathway. Descending a slope, we came out into a clearing inside the mountain. We heard a voice. “Hey kid, what are you doing here?” I looked to the side to find a man in a black uniform with a big red  _ R _ on his shirt. “I said, what are you doing here?”

Getting Zubat to land on my shoulder, I kept my cool and gave the guy a look. “What does it look like I’m doing here? I’m exploring, duh! I’m a Pokémon Trainer trying to find my way through this labyrinth. What’s the problem?”

“We’re pulling a big job here, and we can’t have kids like you around. Get lost!”

I waved a hand. “Yeah, sure, I’ll leave. I just have to get through first, so move it!”

He didn’t move. Instead, he stepped closer. “Trying to talk tough, are we? We’ll make you leave. Go, Raticate!” He called out a fat, brown rat with huge teeth and sharp claws. The guy made a grin. “Are you sure you still want to go through?”

Feeling scared, I stood my ground anyways. “Yep. Change my mind.” My Pokémon agreed.

“I’ll change it. Raticate use Hyper Fang!” Raticate charged for us with glowing teeth.

“Spark!” Shinx leaped forward and tackled Raticate, knocking it to the side. It hunched over on the ground, suddenly covered in tiny yellow sparks. “Way to paralyze it! Double Thunder Bolt!” Shinx and Pikachu blasted our opponent with a powerful bolt of lightning. It fell unconscious. “Let’s go!” I rushed past the bad man.

“Hey, get back here!” He chased after us.

“Supersonic!” Zubat blasted him away.

We took a mix of paths to lose the guy. The twisting and turning of the tunnels gave us a wide range of options.

When I felt we had lost him, we stopped to catch our breath. “Who was… that guy?” I panted, hunched over with hands on my knees. Shinx and Pikachu both collapsed from exhaustion, replying with weak cries.

Clearly the Pokémon needed to take a rest. I recalled Zubat, put Pikachu into my bag, and brought Shinx into my arms. “There. Now, we need to get out of here quickly. Man, I sure hope Paul didn’t run into any of those... guys...”

Time suddenly froze. The sound of light footsteps came from my side. I screamed and spun around, raising my knee before letting out a kick. My foot went straight into someone’s side. Moments later, the person collapsed on the ground. They let out a painful groan before yelling at me: “Hey, watch it! What was that for?”

I recognized the voice that spoke.  _ You’ve got to be kidding!!! _

It took me a second to process what just happened. Shivering, I had Shinx use Flash to light up the person’s facial features. “Paul?!”

Paul sat himself up, rubbing one knee. “I’ll remember this for a while...”

Feeling completely awful, I knelt down beside him. “Sorry! I swear I had no idea it was you. I was being chased by another dude, so when I heard someone approaching me, I didn’t think it could’ve been anyone else.”

“Whatever! You owe me for this...” He suddenly turned to the side.

“Slow down there, tiger! I said I was sorry! I don’t owe you anything—!”

“Keep it down!” He grabbed my arm and pulled me behind a cluster of rocks.

I tried fighting him off, but he held me there. “What are you doing?”

He put a hand over my mouth. “Keep quiet for two seconds, will ya?!” When Shinx threatened to bite Paul, he pointed over the rocks and whispered, “Somebody is coming, so we can’t have her giving away our position. Can we?”

Shinx looked off in the same direction and then stood down.

“Traitor...” I hissed at him.

We poked our heads up and over the rocks. The beam from a flashlight bobbed up and down the tunnel. We ducked when it pointed in our direction, hearing the crunch of boots get closer. “Did you see where that boy went?” said a man’s voice.

His partner replied, “He went this way, I’m sure of it.”

“But it’s so dark. I can hardly see anything.”

“Well, maybe he got scared off and ran out the way he came in. We would’ve known if he tried to leave to Cerulean City.”

That’s when we heard stray footsteps, making me jump out of my skin. Paul kept me from giving away our hiding spot. Promising to remain silent, we peeked around the rock. A third person hurriedly approached out of breath. “Another Trainer is roaming around down here!”

“Dammit, man! That’s the second one you let in. We can’t even find the first one.”

“I’m sorry. She totally overpowered Raticate and me.”

“Well, they’ve got to be around here somewhere. Maybe they’ve gone up ahead to the exit.”

“We can’t let them get there! They’ll interrupt the scientist. Let’s go!” The three men all ran off.

We made sure the light had disappeared before we got to our feet. Despite the darkness, I felt Paul’s presence at my side. “How long have you been here?” I whispered.

“Since this morning. These Team Rocket grunts are infesting the place.”

“Team Rocket?”

“They’re a gang of bad guys that roam the Kanto Region and are always seeking to make a profit off rare Pokémon. For some reason, they’re here in Mt. Moon and blocking all Trainers from going through to Cerulean City. They keep talking about Fossils and a professor looking for them.”

“If it’s money they’re after, getting their hands on a Pokémon Fossil would do the trick.”

“I don’t know how to get past them. I should’ve caught a Zubat when I first entered.”

“Is that the problem? I can solve that.” I sent out Zubat, who landed on my head. “She’s already proven herself at navigating this labyrinth. Hey, why don’t we just take a quick look at what they’re guarding and get out before they see us?”

“That’ll work. Just try not to be a headache, got it?”

Holding up my fist, I grinned. “Your head’s going to be aching soon if you keep that up.”

“Whatever.” He looked around before stepping out on the path.

I followed Paul. Shinx tried to brighten his body, but I stopped him. “Hey, I appreciate the thought, but let’s not do that this time. It’d probably do more harm than good if people are trying to find us.” He worried about me running into things. “I’ll be fine as long as I know where Zubat is.”

“Which means if Zubat flies over something you’ll hit it, right?” I heard Paul laugh a little.

“Ignore him. Let’s go.” We all headed in the direction the three men went.

Keeping Zubat at the front, we made our way through the maze. She continuously fired off invisible waves, keeping them at a low volume to avoid giving away our position. In the meantime, I looked over at Paul. “So, have you caught any new Pokémon?”

“Not many. I haven’t had much time. I’ve been training a ton for the Cerulean Gym. The leader there is supposed to specialize in Water-types.”

“Water-types? I guess that means challengers should use Grass or Electric-types then. It looks like you’ll be up again, Shinx, and Pikachu!” They both got excited. “I’ll have to decide on my third pick if I need three Pokémon.”

“That should be good no matter how many Pokémon they have. Two Electric-types is plenty.”

“But what if I need a third Pokémon? There’s no harm in having one for the battle.”

“The harm is that if you think you need more than two Electric-types for a Water-type Gym, then your Pokémon are all weak, and so are you.”

I glared at him. “Hey, my Pokémon are very strong right now! We all are, and how you judge our preparedness for an upcoming Gym match won’t change any of that. Any Pokémon can be strong as long as you train them to be. Right, guys?” They all agreed.

“Please. It’s a waste of time training a weak Pokémon when you can catch the strongest one of its kind and start at a much greater advantage. That’s the reason I haven’t captured any new Pokémon lately, because all the Pokémon I’ve come across were all weak, didn’t fit with my team well, or didn’t know any outstanding moves.”

“Say what you want, Paul, but you shouldn’t be looking for ‘outstanding.’ You should be looking for potential.”

He seemed puzzled by my response. “What are you talking about?”

“Look at him, for example.” I held Shinx out to him. “He’s only a Shinx that knows a handful of moves. I see  _ potential _ in him, and as a Trainer, it’s my job to make sure he reaches an  _ outstanding _ future. I have to raise him correctly if I want that to happen. Does that make sense?”

“It’s a waste of time to raise a Pokémon.”

“It’s not a waste at all, and you have no idea what you’re talking about.” Shinx purred when squeezed like a teddy bear. “It’s not a waste if it means your Pokémon will soon become shining examples of what it really means to be powerful and to be  _ outstanding _ . My Pokémon and I get strong together. That’s how it works.” Pikachu climbed up onto my shoulder and nuzzled my cheek, and Zubat perched on my head.

After a moment, Paul asked, “Doesn’t it get heavy carrying all of them?”

“Not really. Consider it a workout.” I lifted Shinx above my head, and he smiled.

Paul smirked. “You’re weird.”

“Well, unlike some people, I care for my Pokémon. I get stronger with my Pokémon, and I mean it. When Shinx evolves into a Luxio, I’m going to make sure I can pick him up. What if he hurts his leg or something and would rather die than get in his Poké Ball? And I have to really get myself ready for when he evolves into a Luxray. Most weigh around ninety pounds, on average.”

“You know a lot about Electric-types, don’t you?”

“I feel like we’ve discussed this before, and I’m sure we’ll discuss it again. I love Electric-types! They’re my absolute favorite, but I especially love the Shinx family. The entire chain of Shinx, Luxio, and Luxray is just pure awesomeness. If you ever get an Electric-type and I find out, I’ll make sure to stick to you like glue.”

“That sounds like a nightmare. I’ll make sure never to let you find out. I’d go nuts.”

“You’re no prize either!” I walked a little faster to get ahead of him.

After walking for over an hour, avoiding the eyes of anybody else roaming the dark tunnels, we came into another big clearing. The roof opened up to the sky, with a sun sitting right over our heads. Paul stepped forward to look around. “What is this place?”

Recalling Zubat, I gazed at a large, sparkly stone sitting to the side. “Is that a Moon Stone?”

“It is.” A young man approached us, wearing glasses and a lab coat. “I’m here researching it. My name is Seymour, and I work for the Pewter Museum.”

“I’m Rosa. This is Shinx and Pikachu.”

“As for me, the name’s Paul. We’re on our way to Cerulean City.”

“Oh, then you’ll want to go out that tunnel.” He pointed to an opening on the other side of the room, where you could see a bit of light on the other end. “Of course, I’d love it if you stayed to see my research.”

I don’t know about Paul, but I felt curious. “What are you researching?”

“I’m here to research Mt. Moon’s connection with this gigantic Moon Stone and the Clefairy.” Seymour walked us over to the Moon Stone. “I’m also trying to figure out the connection to these.” He grabbed two large rocks and held them up for us to see.

Paul and I immediately noticed the distinctive patterns for both. “Fossils!”

“That’s right. These are real Pokémon Fossils I found here in the cave’s walls. They’re named the Dome and Helix Fossils.”

I walked over to touch the giant boulder. “What’s the connections you’ve found so far?”

“I’m glad you asked. I concluded that this big Moon Stone and these Fossils are from the same era. The Moon Stone has traces of Pokémon DNA that date as old as these Fossils, at least a couple million years old.

“It does raise the question of whether or not the Pokémon came from space. If they did, my guess is they did it with this Moon Stone, since the Moon Stone and its shards all over the world increase a Pokémon’s power.”

“Power? Like when it makes certain Pokémon evolve?” I asked.

“Exactly.”

I picked up several shards of Moon Stone surrounding the big one. “I should take some.”

“Wait! You can’t just take those!” Seymour grabbed my arm to stop me.

“Why not? I don’t see your name on them!”

“They’re for my research! My research is my top priority! Hand them back!”

“Not going to happen. There’s plenty, and I’m sure there are lots more scattered throughout this mountain.” I stuffed a few in my bag and then walked over to my good friend. “To make you feel better, I’ll share some with Paul, so I’m not taking them simply for selfish reasons. Cool?” I slapped the remaining stones in his hands.

“That hurt,” Paul grumbled to himself as he stowed them away.

Seymour looked upset, but he sighed. “I’ll let it go this once. Of course, the important pieces of research for me are these Fossils—A rare find. I’m planning to head back to Pewter City soon so my colleagues can study them too. They’re probably wondering where I am at this point.”

That was alarming. “How long have you been here studying these?”

“A few days. I can’t stop when questions pop into my head. Besides, it’s so nice and peaceful here with no interruptions. The only thing that comes in and out of this room is an occasional Clefairy to drop a Moon Stone shard over by the big one.”

I leaned over to Paul. “He must not know about Team Rocket yet.”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“There’s so much more we still don’t know.” He hugged the Fossils. “I want to learn everything there is to know about Pokémon and the world we share with them. Pokémon truly are amazing creatures; these ancient relics have shown me that.”

“Well, Professor, I’m so glad you had a wonderful time with those Fossils.”

We turned around to see a man with green hair and a woman with orange hair in Team Rocket uniforms. “Now, we know they’re a bit heavy, so we’ll take them off your hand now.” A group of twenty or so Team Rocket members surrounded us.

I held Shinx tight, my back up against Paul and Seymour. “What is this?”

Seymour held the Fossils tight. “I found these fair and square! They’re mine! Who are you anyway?”

“Don’t be so hasty. We’re Team Rocket, a group of Pokémon gangsters that strike fear with our strength. We’re here for those Fossils you’re holding. Our boss is hoping to earn huge riches for selling those to his clients. Lots of money can be made in the area of Prehistoric Pokémon, and we’re willing to give you some in exchange.”

Naturally, Seymour stayed put.

The man looked over at Paul and me. “As for you two, you must be pretty skilled to get past our guards. I’ll spare you both and offer the chance to join Team Rocket. Little kids shouldn’t be messing around with grown-ups anyway, but this will be an exception. I’m sure our boss will offer a nice salary.”

The ginger girl said, “And you’ll get to keep your Pokémon, of course.” She stared right at Shinx. “Although I think he’d pay a ton for rare Pokémon that aren’t native to the Kanto region. What do you say?”

I held my Pokémon tighter. “Why would we join a group of no-good crooks who try to strike fear with power?”

“We strike fear with our strength! And you better watch your mouth, little miss!”

I growled. “I’ll show you! If you want to get these Fossils, you’ll have to go through me!”

The duo turned to each other with grins. “I guess that’s a no. Get them!”

The other grunts immediately lunged for the three of us, sending out multiple Zubat, Rattata, Sandshrew, and purple snake Pokémon. Guarding Seymour, I let Shinx and Pikachu jump forward, grabbing my other three Poké Balls. “It’s showtime!” Zubat, Pidgeotto, and Butterfree hovered above the other two.

To my surprise, a sixth Pokémon appeared beside them. It was massive and green with bushes on its back. “I’ll help too,” Paul grumbled, looking over at me. “Not you or your Pokémon, just Seymour. And I hate pathetic losers like these guys anyways!”

While he babbled on, a few Zubat dived for his Pokémon with Wing Attack. I reacted before he did. “Shinx use Shock Wave!” Shinx blasted away all the enemy Zubat. I glanced at Paul. “I was your helping your Pokémon, not you. Pikachu use Thunder Bolt on the Zubat, and Pidgeotto use Wing Attack on the Rattata!” The enemy Pokémon all fell unconscious with single hits of our attacks.

“Grotle use Razor Leaf on the Sandshrew!”  _ So that’s what it is. _ Grotle quickly knocked the Ground-type Pokémon out with a super effective Razor Leaf attack. “Too easy!”

“Butterfree use Confusion!” Butterfree blasted away the purple snakes and their many Trainers. “Now, you and Pidgeotto use Gust! Zubat use Supersonic!”

“Energy Ball!” Grotle combined his attack with those of my Pokémon to blast every Team Rocket member out of the cave, except for the main two. We then surrounded them. “Where’s your strength and power now?”

They tried throwing some Poké Balls at us. “Spark!” Shinx charged straight at the last two enemies and slammed into them, sending them flying right after their subordinates. “Yeah!”

I got Dex to register Grotle. “ _ Grotle the Grove Pokémon and the evolved form of Turtwig. It lives near water in forests, and leaves the forests during the day to allow light to shine on the plants on its shell. _ ”

I huddled up with my Pokémon. “That’s showing them, everyone!” My Pokémon all cheered their hearts out. I then felt a big head bump my leg, turning around to find Grotle. He earned a pat on the head. “You did amazing, Grotle. It’s nice to see you’ve evolved, and gotten so big! Man, you’re nothing like your Trainer.”

Paul crossed his arms in frustration. “He’s exactly like me, but just slacks off when he sees you.”

“Oh, shut it! Your Pokémon is still powerful, no doubt your strongest, and you know it.”

“Whatever. Return.” He recalled his Pokémon, and I did too.

Seymour stepped over to us. “Thank you both for saving me and the Fossils.”

I replied, “No problem.”

“We needed a warm-up for the Cerulean Gym anyways,” Paul said with a shrug.

“You should probably get some Pokémon to protect yourself if they try stealing them again, Seymour.”

He shook his head. “Well, seeing as I’m not too big on being a Pokémon Trainer, I got a much better idea. How about you both take them?”

“Really?!” Paul and I gasped, especially since Seymour was so defensive about them earlier.

“I can’t protect them very well here. Besides, you two will be able to travel the world and visit all sorts of incredible places. I heard that somewhere in Kanto, there’s a research lab working on restoring Fossils to life. I’d be more than happy to give you the Fossils if you promise to find that lab and try bringing these Pokémon into the modern world. Will you guys do that for me?”

Paul and I exchanged looks. “Sure, Seymour,” we replied.

“Great. Here, go ahead and pick.” He held out the two Pokémon Fossils.

Paul stepped back. “Ladies first, though I guess neither of us is much of a lady.”

“Very funny.” I looked at both Fossils several times each. It was the Dome Fossil against the Helix Fossil. “I know that the Dome is supposed to be a fossilized Kabuto and the Helix is supposed to be Omanyte.”

“That’s correct, and then Kabuto becomes Kabutops and Omanyte becomes Omastar.”

I considered Seymour’s comment, looking up all four Pokémon on Dex. Both of the Pokémon turned into dual Rock and Water-types when evolving. A voice in the back of my head told me to choose the Helix Fossil, but the idea of seeing a Pokémon like Kabutops weighed heavily on my final decision. I showed them my choice by grabbing the Dome Fossil. “I’ll take this one.”

Paul took Helix. “Then this one is mine.”

“I do hope you both will take care of those Fossils, and the Pokémon you revive from them,” said Seymor.

I smiled at my new rock. “We promise.”

Seymour guided me and Paul out of the cave. A dirt trail ran straight down the hill off into a group of trees. He pointed at them. “If you follow that path, it’ll lead you straight into Cerulean City.”

I grinned back at him. “Thank you so much, Seymour. I’ll try to send a postcard once I get this Fossil revived.”

“I’d like that. Thanks!” We shook hands, and then I waved goodbye.

Walking off, I thought about the fun day we just had, looking at my new Fossil. “This is exciting. In a way, we have another new member of the family, huh?” Shinx and Pikachu both agreed. “And Seymour was a very nice person, though I’ll be the first to admit I lied about sending a postcard.”

Paul laughed. “You’re pretty cruel, aren’t you?”

I glared at him. “Well, I seriously doubt I’ll ever see him again. Maybe I’ll send a picture of my Kabuto to the Pewter Museum once it’s revived, but there’s no guarantee. It is now my Pokémon, after all.”

“Then you should probably put it away before heading into town.”

“You think? Well, I guess some people would freak out if they saw it.”

“Or they might even try to steal it.”

“Good point.” I wrapped the Dome Fossil in a spare shirt and then carefully packed it into my bag. “There!”

We made it to a signpost with multiple signs pointing in all different directions. “Seymour was right. If we keep taking this path, we’ll be in Cerulean City. Yeah, time for our next Badge!”

“Man, you sure are noisy.”

“You need to be noisier! I can’t even tell if you’re excited or not—Hey!” I turned to find him already heading down the path. “Wait for us, loser!” I rushed after him, and we headed to Cerulean City together.


	7. To Beat a Gym Leader

With such a straight path from Mt. Moon, we quickly reached Cerulean City. It was a mid-sized city with a channel of water just to the north. Downtown consisted of several popular shops and attractions, while the outskirts contained most of the residential buildings. Best part, the little amount of trees allowed the bright, warm sunshine to be felt from anywhere in the city.

“So this is Cerulean City, huh? Pretty nice place, isn’t it?” I said. Pikachu and Shinx agreed.

“Yeah, whatever. I’m not here to sightsee,” Paul said.

“Then go to the Gym. It’s not like I want to sightsee with you anyways.”

Not even hesitating, he headed off to the Gym.

Watching him walk away, I sighed. “Why is he always like that?” Pikachu and Shinx both shrugged their shoulders.

Entering the heart of Cerulean City, we saw a big crowd of people circling a machine shop with lots of police cars. “I wonder what happened,” I said.

We joined the crowd of people and worked our way to the front. I asked the first person I came across, “Excuse me. Do you know what happened here?”

“Oh, some burglars broke into that store last night,” replied the man.

“Burglars?”

A voice called over to me, “What do you know about burglars?” A lady with blue hair in a police uniform approached us with a very skeptical look on her face. “You look very suspicious to me.”

“Hey, didn’t I see you patrolling the streets of Viridian City on your motorcycle?” I asked.

“Oh, you’re mistaking me for my sister-in-law Officer Jenny. If you were patrolling the streets keeping an eye on the police, then maybe you were trying to avoid them for some reason.”

“What? No, that’s not—”

She wouldn’t hear me out. “Now, maybe you wanted to ask for directions, or maybe you found a wallet on the street and needed to hand it in, or maybe you’re a criminal who broke out of jail!” She showed me a pair of handcuffs.

I gulped. “I’ve never even been to jail, ma’am!”

“That’s what they all say,” said Officer Jenny.

“We just got into town. We saw the crowd, so we came over to see what was going on.”

She grinned. “The criminals always return to the scene of the crime.”

“Maybe this will help clear things up,” I said and pulled out my Pokédex.

Clicking a button, my Pokédex began, “ _ I’m Dexter, a Pokédex programmed by Professor Rowan for Pokémon Trainer Rosa of Sunyshore City to use. _ ” It showed my photo ID as well.

“Well, that’s enough evidence for me.” She put away her handcuffs. “I’m sorry if I was suspicious. I’ve been working round the clock to catch these burglars.”

“What exactly did they steal?” I asked.

“That’s the strange thing about it. They didn’t take any money. Just a massive vacuum and a giant hose.”

“What would anyone want that stuff for?”

“I’m sure I don’t know, young lady, but I do know I don’t have time to play guessing games with you because I’ve got a job to do and it’s time for you to move along. Come on! Let’s go!” She pushed me back into the crowd. Then she began working with the other cops to clear the scene entirely.

★

Time to get another Badge, we ate a quick lunch to prepare for our upcoming Gym battle. I grabbed a map to guide us there. According to it, Cerulean Gym sat in the center of a park. “It says the Gym should be right around here,” I muttered, turning a corner. Pikachu cried out and pointed straight ahead.

Directly in front of us, we found a large, colorful, dome building in the exact center of the park. Someone painted a giant Pokémon above the doors. With Dexter, I examined the Pokémon, a big white sea lion. “ _ Dewgong the Sea Lion Pokémon. This dual water and Ice-type Pokémon can easily resist extreme cold weather. _ ”

“This must be the Gym if they’ve got a giant Pokémon on the front,” I said.

I went inside, finding myself in a lobby. “Weird. It’s totally quiet in here.”

Suddenly over an intercom system, I heard a voice, “ _ Ladies and gentlemen, in just a few moments, we will begin our wonderful swimming show! _ ”

I looked around. “A show? In here?” Then we heard lots of roaring and cheering, but it was somewhat muffled. “What is that?”

We stepped down a hallway past the front counter. Shinx investigated a pair of doors and called back to me. Poking my head through, I found a huge pool with a diving board at the far end. Bleachers lined the walls. They were packed to the brim with a thunderous all-male crowd. “I don’t know what’s going on here, do you?” Pikachu and Shinx didn’t have a clue.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed on everything but the pool. A single spotlight lit up the diving board. Three girls smiled in the spotlight and waved to the crowd; the first had blonde hair, the second had dark purple hair, and the third had pink hair.

The voice from earlier called out again, “ _ Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the stars of our show, the Sensational Cerulean City Synchronized Swimming Sisters! Daisy! Violet! Lily! _ ”

All at once, the three sisters took a magnificent dive into the pool below, making the fans go completely wild. The girls resurfaced and began their performance. The crowd clapped, cheered, and whistled.

None of this thrilled me. Instead, I felt baffled. “Man, I thought this was the Cerulean Gym. I don’t understand any of this.”

Suddenly, I heard yelling coming from the lobby. Being nosy, I went to look.

Some guy in a suit was trying to kick out a younger boy. He seemed very upset. “Listen! All I’m asking for is the chance to battle and earn a Badge!”

I recognized his purple hair and frowned. “Well, we found Paul.”

The suit guy ignored everything Paul said to him. “The Gym Leader has already asked that you get out of here, so go!” The front doors automatically opened. Paul got shoved outside.

Running outside, I saw Paul quickly pick himself back up. “Well, that ended well,” I said.

He wheeled around to see me. “Rosa. What are you doing here?”

“Did you already forget I was in the city to get another Badge too?”

“Well, you’re wasting your time. You’re better off getting Badges from somewhere else.”

“What do you mean? What happened in there?”

“I got here a little bit ago to challenge the Gym Leader. But when I did, they gave me some lame excuse on how they didn’t feel like battling. Then they tried to give me the Badge for free.”

That shocked me. “No way! You mean they tried to give it to you without battling for it?!”

“Pathetic, right? Then when I protested for an actual battle, they wanted me to leave.”

I got annoyed. “I can’t believe this. A Gym Leader can’t refuse a Gym challenge simply because they don’t want to battle. It’s their job as Gym Leaders to battle all challengers that come to their Gyms looking for one.”

“Yeah, well obviously someone didn’t get the memo.”

“Well, I’m going to give them a memo they won’t forget!”

“Why are you so upset about it?”

I looked at him, realizing that I quickly got upset. Shinx told me to calm down. “Ah, those details don’t matter! Right now, I have to go in there and challenge the Gym Leader! I’m winning a Badge fair and square!”

“Well, then, I’ll take you inside.”

“Really! Won’t you get kicked out again?”

“Not a problem. You’ll be with me, right?”

“Oh, you mean I have to vouch for you. Great.” I was not at all happy about that.

Paul took me and my Pokémon into the lobby. We headed down a long flight of stairs that led backstage. Getting to the bottom, we found a long hallway with large windows on either side. Those windows provided stunning views of fish tanks teeming with life.

“Whoa!” I ran over to get a better look at the Pokémon swimming in the tanks. “It’s like an aquarium. How can this be a Pokémon Gym?”

“Gyms come in all shapes and sizes, I guess,” Paul said.

_ True. _

We heard chatter from down the hall, and it steadily approached us. We found the three sisters from the underwater show earlier. They talked about the performance they just gave.

“That one was totally awesome.”

“I know. That was so great, and Daisy, the dive you did was super.”

“The practice really paid off.”

“Totally!” They all giggled.

I ran over to the three sisters and shouted, “Excuse me!”

The pink haired girl, presumably Lily, interrupted me and said, “I’m sorry, but if you want an interview, you have to, like, call our manager.”

I shook my head. “No, that’s not it.”

“We don’t do autographs.”

“I don’t want one. I just wanted to know if this is a Pokémon Gym.”

The purple haired girl, who I guessed to be Violet, replied, “It sure is.”

“Well, I’m looking for the Gym Leader.”

The last sister, Daisy, smiled and said, “You’re looking at them. The three of us are the Gym Leaders here. We’re the Sensational Sisters. We’re world famous!”

“Huh? But what’s with all that swimming?”

“It’s, like, our hobby. Our fans love to watch us perform. We pool our talents to make a big splash.” They all giggled loudly at the pun.

“Yeah, sorry, I forgot to mention that there are three Gym Leaders here,” Paul said.

“Hey, you’re that boy!” Lily shouted.

“We’ve had enough of you. You need to leave,” Violet jumped in.

“Now, wait! Hold on!” I shouted before they could have Paul thrown out again. “The only reason he’s even here is that he wants to earn a Gym Badge. That’s why I’m here too.”

“We figured that, but, well, there’s a problem,” Daisy said.

“And what’s that?” I hoped it would be a good answer.

The three sisters looked awkwardly at each other before Daisy continued. “We don’t feel much like battling anymore.”

_ Wrong answer! _

“What do you mean? You’re supposed to be the Gym Leaders, which means you’re supposed to accept every challenge you get!”

“Give us a break!” Violet barked. “We just got beaten three times in a row by kids from this nowhere place called Pallet Town.”

I frowned. “Of course, it’s because of Gary and the other two.”

“It was just one defeat after another. My eyes were spinning from all the losses.”

Lily added, “We had to, like, practically rush all our Pokémon to the Pokémon Center every single time, and we just got tired of it.”

“So, there’s no point in battling. Now instead of having matches, we have time to make ourselves look more beautiful than ever,” Daisy said.

My temper snapped again. “That doesn’t matter! You’re Pokémon Trainers, aren’t you?!” I roared.

“Who’ve lost all interest in Pokémon battling, yes.”

The building rage made my blood boil. “You’re pathetic excuses for Gym Leaders! That’s what you are!”

“Whoa, like, chill out!” Lily groaned.

“Seriously, what’s gotten you so upset?” Paul muttered.

I snapped at him, “Butt out! I just am, okay?!”

“It’s alright. I know what you want,” Daisy said. She pulled out two blue Badges from her pocket and held them out. “A Cascade Badge. This is what you both want, right? You can have them.”

“That’s not how you win a Gym Badge! You have to earn them!” I barked.

“Hey, a Badge is a Badge,” Paul noted.

He surprised me. “Really? After everything?! I can’t believe you, of all people, would give up just like that. No way! I am not accepting this without proving that I deserve it. Otherwise, it’s a meaningless paperweight.”

“Would you maybe consider doing something other than a Pokémon battle?” Violet asked.

I raised an eyebrow. “What else did you have in mind?”

The three sisters discussed amongst themselves real quick before Daisy spoke. “You see, we need a fourth person for a new show we’ve had in mind. We need a girl our age who’s pretty and has long hair,” explained Daisy.

“Pretty and has long hair?” I repeated.

“And likes to swim,” Lily added.

“And likes to dress up in costumes too,” Violet said.

“Dress up? No way! I’m not entering any stupid underwater show!” I replied.

“If you do, the Badge is yours,” Daisy bribed. “And we’ll throw in one for your boyfriend too.”

Feeling my cheeks turn red, I shook my head. “He’s not my boyfriend!” I didn’t want to perform, but I wanted a Badge more than anything. “Alright! How about a deal?”

“We’re listening.”

I pointed a finger at them. “I challenge all of you to three Pokémon battles in a row, one Pokémon each. If I can beat all of you with just one of my Pokémon, then I win a Badge for myself and a badge for Paul!”

Paul and the three sisters all gasped in shock.

“What are you doing?” Paul asked.

“I know what I’m doing!” I hissed back.

“And if you lose?” Lily asked.

I gulped. “If I lose, I’ll accept the Badges after I perform in your dumb show.”

The three sisters exchanged looks. “It’s a deal,” Violet said after a slight pause.

“But don’t think we’ll go easy on you just because we’re cute,” Daisy noted. The three sisters headed off towards the battlefield.

“Do you think you can beat them all with just one Pokémon?!” Paul asked.

“I know I can. Shinx! Let’s do it, just like old times!” Shinx nodded his head.

“Just like old times?” I ignored him and went to catch up with the three sisters.

We all gathered at a pool separate from the one we found earlier. Paul sat on the sidelines to watch with Pikachu, who was upset that she couldn’t battle. “Sorry, Pikachu. This is something Shinx and I have to do. It’s important for us. You can battle next time.”

“And why’s that? Won’t you tell me?” Paul asked.

I gazed at my opponents. “It bothers me that there are some Gym Leaders who take their job for granted.” Shinx and I headed to our end of the pool.

The Sensational Sisters stood on the other end of the pool. Lily stepped forward. “It’s agreed that everyone uses one Pokémon each, and if you beat all three of ours with your single Pokémon, you win the challenge.”

“That sounds perfect to me!” I called back.

“Then I’ll be going first. I’ll use for my Pokémon, Seaking!” Lily threw a Poké Ball, calling out a giant fish with beautiful, flowing fins and a tail.

Dex scanned it, “ _ Seaking the Goldfish Pokémon, and the evolved form of Goldeen. Its sharp, drill-like horn is capable of crushing even stone. _ ”

I looked down at my Pokémon. “Shinx, it’s showtime!” Shinx barked and jumped out onto a floating platform.

“Now, we’re ready. You’re free to attack however you want!” Lily shouted.

“All we need is one. Shinx use Shock Wave!” Shinx launched a powerful Shock Wave.

“Seaking use Horn Drill!” Seaking deflected our attack by spinning its horn like a drill, sending the attack back at Shinx.

Shinx took a direct hit from his Shock Wave, but he dug in his heels to stay up on the platform. “That won’t stop us. Hit them with Swift!” Shinx attacked with Swift.

“Dive underwater!” Seaking disappeared under the water’s surface to avoid Swift. “Come up with Horn Attack!” Shinx was launched high into the air after Seaking destroyed the floating platform with its powerful horn.

“Don’t let it get away! Grab it with Bite!” Shinx clamped down on Seaking’s horn with his teeth, and he wasn’t letting go. “Finish with Spark!” Shinx covered himself in electricity. Being directly connected to Seaking, the Goldfish Pokémon took a direct hit from Spark. Shinx then tossed Seaking into the water.

When Seaking resurfaced, it was unconscious. “No, Seaking!”

The Sensational Sisters were all speechless.

“Good job, Shinx! That’s one down!” Shinx barked loudly, landing on another platform.

“That wasn’t half bad,” Lily said as she recalled her Pokémon.

Then Violet swapped places with her younger sister. “I’m up next. Shinx must be worn out and won’t be able to last much longer,” she said with a grin.

I glared, totally determined to win. “We’ll see about that!”

“I’m going to call Starmie! Go!” Violet called out a purple sea-star Pokémon with a jeweled core, who stood on the floating platform despite being a water-type.

Dexter scanned it, “ _ Starmie the Mysterious Pokémon. Starmie’s central core glows with the seven colors of the rainbow. It swims through water by spinning its star-shaped body as if it were a propeller on a ship. _ ”

“Shinx, you can blow that thing away with one attack! Hit it with Spark!” Shinx hopped across the floating platforms as he glowed with electricity. He tackled Starmie and then jumped away.

“Starmie use Rapid Spin!” Starmie leaped towards Shinx, spinning its body just like Dexter said it would.

“Dodge!” Shinx jumped out of the way just in time. Starmie instead crashed into the platform.

“Starmie use Water Pulse to knock those platforms away!” Starmie formed a big ball of water in front of its core and threw it into the pool. A colossal shockwave rippled through the water’s surface to knock all the platforms and Shinx off balance. Shinx fell into the pool.

“Shinx, swim out of there! Quick!”

“Not so fast! Tackle it!” Starmie jumped underwater. In the blink of an eye, it came back up and threw Shinx straight into the air, inflicting some significant damage. Shinx fell back on a platform.

I couldn’t believe it. We were not going to lose. “No, Shinx! Get up!”

“It looks like this match is finished. Swift attack, Starmie!” Starmie fired a Swift attack.

“Come on, Shinx! We’re not losing! You can do it!” Shinx heard me and dodged Swift just in time by leaping high above Starmie’s head. “Thunder Bolt!” Shinx let loose a massive bolt of lightning, striking a direct hit on his opponent. Starmie fell back unconscious.

“Starmie!”

“That’s two! One more to go, Shinx!” However, our odds weren’t looking so good when you saw how tired Shinx was at that point.

“I think you might want to call it off, Rosa. Shinx looks too exhausted to continue,” Paul said.

“No, I know Shinx can go on, right, pal?” Shinx gazed back at me and nodded his head, knowing full well how much I believed in him. “We’ve had Gym battles like this all the time in the past.”

While switching with Violet, Daisy heard what I said and asked, “So that must be what this is really about. You’re a Gym Leader too, aren’t you?”

The others were all shocked, everyone except Shinx and me.

“I am a Gym Leader, thanks to my family, anyways. I used to have unofficial Gym matches with the actual Gym Leader, my brother, and I always watched him battle. Sure, I may not have ever battled as an official Gym Leader. However, I’ve seen enough Gym battles to know the rules and how Gym Leaders should act!

“To give up battling is to give up on your Pokémon, and to give up everything you worked so hard to achieve! You’re letting everyone around you down, including yourself! That’s why I’m going to win this challenge, Daisy, to prove it to you!”

She smiled and said, “You know, a part of me wishes you were one of my sisters too.”

Violet and Lily both agreed with head nods.

“That sure sounds nice. I’ve never had an older sister, just a brother. I appreciate the compliment.”

“Now then shall I introduce your last opponent? Go!” Daisy threw a Poké Ball. A white sea lion appeared in the water.

I sighed. “Why does that not surprise me?”

“It all comes down to this. Feel free to go first, Rosa!”

“It’ll be our pleasure. Shinx use Shock Wave!” Shinx lit up the surface of the water with his signature electric attack.

“Jump, Dewgong!” Despite its size, Dewgong jumped high into the air. “Headbutt!” Dewgong came down straight for Shinx, and with the sharp horn on its head, painfully knocked Shinx right into the pool.

“Swim out of there, Shinx!” Shinx struggled to find a nearby platform.

“Not so fast! Dewgong use Aurora Beam!” Dewgong blasted Shinx with a multi-colored beam, sending it crashing into another platform.

“You’ve got to get up, Shinx! We can’t lose!” Shinx reached his limits. He could barely stand up. I could see Paul off to the side, looking disappointed. The two other sisters looked happy soon to be avenged. “Please, Shinx, I believe in you! You can do it!”

“Well, I guess this challenge was still a little too much for you. Dewgong finish it with Ice Beam!” Dewgong scored a direct hit with Ice Beam. The attack froze Shinx in a solid block of ice.

“Shinx!” I couldn’t tell whether Shinx had been knocked out or not, just frozen. I waited for a response but got nothing. I couldn’t bear to think or look at what just happened. “Oh, what have I done—?” Then I heard Pikachu’s cry, telling me to look at Shinx.

Shinx’s block of ice started to glow brightly. Then the ice shattered. A glowing figure leaped out onto another floating platform, and then it changed its shape. The paws got slightly more prominent and dark fur sprouted from its usually blue forehead and face.

When the light faded away, a new Pokémon stood in place of my Shinx. “Shinx?” He shook his head vigorously before roaring. It made me so happy. “You evolved into Luxio!”

Dex scanned Luxio, “ _ Luxio the Spark Pokémon, and the evolved form of Shinx. Luxio’s sharp claws conduct electricity, and the slightest scratch can knock out an opponent. By touching friends with its front paws, Luxio is able to communicate through the sparks it emits. _ ”

Everyone was speechless at the incredible evolution.

“That means we still have a chance.” Luxio looked back at me and nodded.

“Dewgong use Aurora Beam before it gains any momentum!” Dewgong readied its attack.

“Show them some of your new power with Spark!” Luxio hopped across the floating platforms at lightning speed. He narrowly dodged Dewgong’s powerful Aurora Beam before leaping high over its head. However, instead of covering himself in electricity, his tail lit up. He came down and smashed his tail into Dewgong’s head, the impact so hard that it broke the platform in half. “What was that?!”

“That was an Iron Tail!” Paul shouted.

“Awesome! A powerful new move!” I cheered as Luxio jumped back to my side of the pool, doing a graceful flip.

Dewgong jumped out of the water and landed on a platform. We thought it had enough strength to carry on, but then it grinned before slumping onto its belly. It was knocked out for good. “Dewgong!” Daisy cried out.

“And that’s it! That’s three for three!” Paul cheered alongside Pikachu.

“We did it?” I could hardly believe it. Three Pokémon against one, and we proved victorious?! Luxio ran to my side and jumped into my arms, knocking me down. “We actually did it, Luxio! We did it all because of you! Thank you so much!” Luxio purred against my face. I found myself tearing up, and Luxio wiped the tears away with his paws. “I love you.” He licked my cheek.

Pikachu rushed over to our side and joined the group hug. “Thanks for leading the cheer section. It helped, and next Gym, I promise you’ll get to battle.” She jumped for joy.

Looking past my Pokémon, I watched Paul come over to me. He handed over my bag.

“Thanks for watching that, and for watching our battle.”

“No problem.” Of course, he wasn’t smiling.

I raised an eyebrow. “Something wrong?”

“No.” He nodded his head, and then grinned! “Well, you won.”

His smile made mine grow even wider. “That’s right. What? Did you think we wouldn’t?”

“I had my doubts. If Shinx hadn’t evolved though, I don’t know if you would’ve won.”

“Oh, say what you want. A win is a win, which means we both get a Badge and I don’t have to perform in some stupid underwater ballet.”

“Then it’s a double win.”

I smiled at my Pokémon. “Yep!”

★

The Sensational Sisters, Paul, and I stepped outside. Daisy held out two Cascade Badges for us. “Here. As promised, you both get a Badge,” Daisy said. “A win is a win.”

“Thanks, Daisy,” I replied.

“Yes, thank you,” Paul said. Pikachu and Luxio smiled.

“Still, it’s too bad we have to keep searching for a fourth performer,” Lily noted.

“You know, maybe if you guys get desperate, I might help you out with that,” I said.

“Really? You’d consider it?” Violet asked.

I nodded my head.

“Well, we’ll let you know when we’ve thought about it more,” Lily added.

“Until then, Rosa, you go to work on being the best Pokémon Trainer, and Gym Leader, too. We’ll work on our Pokémon training too,” Daisy said.

“Good. That’s what I like to hear. One fellow Gym Leader to another,” I smiled.

“Well, I better get going. Nice seeing you, Rosa. Thanks for the Badge,” Paul said before walking away.

“Oh, looks like I have to go now too. Wait up, Paul!” I waved at the three sisters before catching up to Paul.

He glared at me as I walked beside him. “You’re not following me, are you?” he asked.

“What? Got a problem with that? We’re both heading back to the Pokémon Center.”

“I wasn’t planning on it. You’re the one that battled not me.”

_ Oh yeah, I forgot. _

I jumped in front of him so he wouldn’t ignore me. “Then you could at least tell me where’s the best place to go for my next Gym Badge.”

He frowned. “You have a map, don’t you?”

“Yeah. Here.” I pulled out my map and opened it for him.

“Here’s us, at Cerulean City.” He pointed at our location, and then at a town farther south. “I think this would be the best place to go, the closest city with a Gym. It’s where I’m going right now.”

“Hey, great! I’m going with you!”

“I thought you were heading to the Pokémon Center. Luxio looks exhausted.”

Feeling guilty for forgetting, I turned back to Luxio. “Oh, Luxio, do you want to go rest up at the Pokémon Center before we take off?” Pikachu patted his head. Luxio wanted to keep on going, but his sluggish movements told me otherwise. “Well, it is my job to make sure you’re in tip-top shape.”

“Then that settles that.” Paul started walking away again.

“You’re not going to wait for us! How rude! It’s not like we’ll take forever!”

He stopped, dropping his head. “How long are you going to be?”

“It shouldn’t be too long. Maybe a few minutes. It’s just Luxio, not my whole team.” I could see he was more inclined to walk away. “Hey! You still owe me for that Badge we just won for you!”

Paul sighed. “Well, since clearly, it wasn’t just out of the goodness of your heart…” He looked back at us. “I’ll be waiting at the edge of town. If you’re not there in an hour, I’m leaving!”

I nearly jumped for joy. “Yes! Let’s hurry, guys!” The three of us took off.

Luxio, Pikachu, and I headed straight to the Pokémon Center, no detours. As politely as possible, I begged Nurse Joy to take care of Luxio quickly. While waiting, Pikachu and I checked over our supplies and rushed to the store for a few things.

When we returned to the Pokémon Center, Luxio sat happily on the counter and wagged his tail. “Perfect timing!” I cheered.

“In a bit of a hurry?” Nurse Joy said with a giggle.

“Like you wouldn’t believe! Thank you!” I rushed back out the door with my Pokémon, crossing my fingers as we bolted for the southern edge of town.

★

Stepping just past the gate, I stopped and looked around, panting heavily from all the running around I just did. Of course, there was nobody else in sight. Disappointed, I checked the time on my Pokétch. “That loser! Where could he be? It hasn’t even been an hour yet.”

“It was close though,” a voice said from behind me.

Recognizing the voice, my heart felt unexpectedly warm. I spun around to see a head of purple hair approach. “There you are!”

Hands stuffed in his pockets, Paul made a slight frown. “I was kind of hoping you weren’t coming.”

I pouted. “Hey, you’re not going to be a sore loser about not getting to have a Gym battle, are you?”

“That depends. You’re welcome to leave if it bugs you.” He walked past me.

I whispered to Pikachu and Luxio, “I’m suddenly tempted for some reason.”

“You coming or what?!”

Grinning, I caught up with Paul. Then, as loud as I could, I cheered, “So now then it’s onto Vermillion City!”

He grumbled to himself. “Could you at least keep it down a little?”

“Nope! Haven’t you ever been excited about anything?” I talked for the rest of the night, though Paul wasn’t much to make conversation. It was still fun and exciting that I’d be traveling around with someone for a bit.


	8. And Then There Were Three

Marching towards Vermillion City, I thought that a shortcut would serve us best. I wanted to get to the gym as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the quickest ways don’t end up always being the easiest.

“You’re not even using a compass. Are you sure this is the right way?” Paul asked.

I shoved my way through some thick foliage, wishing for a machete. “I’m  _ positive _ this is the right way!” I called back.

“And I’m  _ positive _ that we’re now lost. Am I wrong?”

After inspecting our surroundings, my shoulders slumped. “No. We’re lost…”

He swiped the map from my hands. “See? If you had just let me lead, we wouldn’t be in this situation. Now, let’s get to Vermillion City, the  _ right _ way.” He stepped off and poured over the map.

I scowled and tapped my foot. “It’s his yelling that got me all confused in the first place.”

“Well, according to the compass,” Paul started, “south is this way, and there’s a river just up ahead. Since we’ll get to the Pokémon Center later than we’d like, it’ll be a good spot to take a break and eat some—Ah!”

There was a sudden loud crashing noise.

Rushing ahead, I couldn’t find Paul anywhere. “Paul?”

I received no response.

“Paul?” I frantically walked around, worried about Paul. “This isn’t funny. Where’d you go?”

A faint voice called back, “I’m not playing pranks! I fell!”

“Fell?”

Luxio barked and brought me over to some bushes ahead. Just beyond them, we found a large pitfall trap. Paul sat at the bottom. “Paul!” I gasped, relieved to see him mostly unharmed.

He sat up, clenching his teeth. “Who the hell digs a hole out in the middle of the forest?”

“I don’t know. It sure is a weird spot to go digging.”

Suddenly, there was a cry from the other side of the hole. Slowly looking up, I stared into the sharp, red eyes of a green Pokémon with a pink bulb on its back. Meeting my eyes, it cracked a grin.

“What was that?” Paul asked.

“Uh, I don’t know,” I muttered back. “Dex?”

My Pokédex quickly replied, “ _ Ivysaur the Seed Pokémon, and the evolved form of Bulbasaur. The bulb on its back absorbs nourishment and will eventually bloom into a large flower. When it starts swelling, a sweet aroma wafts to indicate the flower’s coming bloom. _ ”

“An evolved Bulbasaur?”

“A what?!” Paul shouted.

Ivysaur laughed again.

Its behavior made me suspicious. “You dug this hole, didn’t you?”

It nodded its head.

“An Ivysaur that knows Dig? You don’t see that every—”

Paul suddenly scrambled out of the hole, startling me so much that I fell backward. “You little punk!”

“AH!” I shrieked.

Ivysaur raced away.

“I won’t let you! Beedrill standby!” He called out an all-too-familiar bee Pokémon.

“When did you catch that?” I asked.

“Caught it in Viridian Forest. Strongest one there is.”

A groan escaped my lips. “Yeah, we’ll see.”

“Beedrill use Poison Sting!” Beedrill fired multiple purple needles at Ivysaur.

Instead of dodging the attack, Ivysaur took in a deep breath and exhaled, blowing away the Poison Sting. Then it released a cloud of Sleep Powder, putting Beedrill straight to sleep. It collapsed on the ground before us.

“Come on, Beedrill! Get up!” Beedrill struggled even to crack an eye open.

Not giving it a chance, Ivysaur tackled Beedrill and sent it flying. With its only threat out of the way, Ivysaur made its escape into the forest.

“Don’t think you’re getting away that easily!” Paul yelled before chasing after it.

“Wait, Paul!”

He completely ignored me.

“He sure has gotten worked up over that Ivysaur, huh?” Pikachu and Luxio agreed with me. We chased after him.

★

Following Paul through the forest, we came to a bridge. My eyes widened at the sight of it, and at the terrifying fall sitting underneath. “Oh, great. An old bridge in the middle of the woods. What can go wrong?” I faltered.

“Well, suck it up, because we’re crossing,” Paul replied.

I anxiously tugged on Paul’s arm to keep him back. “What are you thinking? We can’t cross that thing! Why would you even  _ want _ to cross it?!”

“Look!” He pointed at the bridge.

On the other end, Ivysaur had just made it across the bridge. It taunted us, beckoning us to cross the creaky bridge, before disappearing into the trees again. Paul looked ready to leap clear across the canyon in one jump.

“Don’t, Paul! That’s just what it wants you to do!”

“Yeah, so? What’s the problem?”

The suspicious planks worsened my anxiety. “Don’t you watch movies?”

“Just stay behind me and don’t look down, okay?” He continued.

Reluctant, I crept across the bridge, keeping a firm grip on the ropes at either side of me. “But where even is this place? I don’t think there was a bridge like this anywhere on the way to Vermillion City,” I said to Pikachu and Luxio.

“It didn’t,” Paul noted, “but the elevation markings seemed a little funky around this part of the river and hinted at some high cliffs.”

“I guess that makes sense then.”

Thanks to some sudden gusts, the bridge violently rocked back and forth. This tension made one of the lines snap. The bridge tipped over, knocking everyone to the side. Paul grabbed a rope. I latched onto his foot, both Pokémon clinging to my body.

All four of us now dangled over a watery grave. “Paul, you have to pull us back up! It’s our only chance!” I screamed.

Paul growled back, “I’m trying! You’re too heavy!”

That got me angry. “Are you implying that I’m fat?! I don’t weigh that much!”

“Quit whining and return your Pokémon to their Poké Balls!”

“He’s right. You two, get inside the Poké Balls!” They didn’t want to do it. “What was the one rule about staying outside?! It’s the only way any of us will make it!” They exchanged sad looks, and with big frowns, retreated into their Poké Balls. “There! Now pull me up, Paul!”

Paul used all his strength to lift himself higher so I could grab onto the rope and pull myself up. My nails dug into my skin from gripping the rope so hard, and my toes pressed indents into the planks. “You alright?” Paul asked.

“Yeah,” I panted, sweat trickling down my face. “Let’s just get off this bridge.”

He started swinging across the rope to the other end. “Here. This way. The bridge is still intact enough for us to cross...”

Paul spoke too soon as the bridge started rocking back and forth. This time, the wind came in so quickly and violently that the force knocked us off. The color left my face when the ropes were no longer within my grasp.

We clung to each other as we fell into the river below. Resurfacing quickly, I paddled my arms and legs, still holding onto Paul. We worked together to reach the shore and pull each other up out of the water. I never thought I’d miss dry dirt so much. “Phew... That was too much,” I said through gasps of shortened breath.

“Was that bridge a trick too?” Paul muttered.

“What makes you say that?”

“That.”

Standing before us, a small blue turtle cackled with a wide grin.

“It’s a Squirtle!” I gasped, rushing to my feet.

Paul searched the Pokémon on his Pokédex. “ _ Squirtle, the Tiny Turtle Pokémon. This Pokémon draws its long neck into its shell to launch incredible water attacks with amazing range and accuracy. The blasts can be quite powerful. _ ”

“You must be working with that Ivysaur, huh?!” Paul snapped at it.

Squirtle ran away.

“Get back here!” He angrily chased after it.

I hurried after him. “Paul! You’ve got to slow—AH!” Chasing after Paul, I suddenly fell into another pit trap, landing hard on my rump. It really hurt too.

Paul’s sarcastic voice burst down into the hole. “Hey, how’d you get down there?”

“Don’t start with me. It’s another trap!” I bounced up on my feet. “Now, help me up!”

He helped me climb out. “Maybe I should’ve just left from Cerulean by myself.”

“What? Are you calling me a bad luck charm?”

“I mean…”

“Don’t answer that! Let’s go find those two little brats!”

“What got into you all of a sudden? I thought I was the only one interested.”

“When it was just Ivysaur, yeah, but if there’s a wild Squirtle running around here, I want to catch it! I’ve wanted one ever since I heard about them!” I made an enthusiastic grin. “So, let’s catch those two troublemakers!”

He cracked a smile. “Let’s go.”

We ran along the riverside, hoping to see a sign of either Ivysaur or Squirtle. “Do you think maybe they ran away for good this time?” I asked.

“Not a chance. With all those pranks, they wouldn’t have gotten far,” Paul replied. We both screamed when a net suspended us in a tree, squashing us together. “Hey! How’d we end up here?”

“It’s another trap, and it’s so cramped.”

“Well, we can’t just sit here!” He started wiggling around. He flailed his arms and legs around, trying to break the net, but the violent shaking didn’t get anywhere. It only earned Paul a slap in the face. “Hey! What was that for?!”

Arms wrapped around my torso, I viciously glared at him. “Watch your hands!”

His red face turned away. “Sorry… If you have any bright ideas on how to get us out, I’m all ears.”

“I don’t,” I admitted.

We heard a cry from down below and looked at the ground to find Squirtle. “Well, look who it is,” Paul grumbled. Squirtle laughed at us, overjoyed that we ended up in the trap. “Get us down from here, Squirtle!” He started thrashing again.

“Ouch! Quit it, Paul!”

Suddenly, another cry sounded from down below. An Ivysaur walked up beside the turtle. “It’s Ivysaur!” Paul and I shouted.

Ivysaur extended a green vine from its bulb and exchanged a high-five with Squirtle.

“What's wrong with you? We didn't do anything to you!" I barked.

Squirtle angrily remarked that being trainers made us a target.

“Being trainers? Why is that so bad?”

Ivysaur growled at the mention of the word.

“Are they hateful towards trainers for some reason?” Paul asked.

“I’m not sure, but that’s what it seems like.” I turned back to the Pokémon, eyeing us from below. “Well,  _ we _ didn’t do anything to you. Look. Just let us down from here, and we’ll be on our way?”

Ivysaur somewhat begrudgingly released a Razor Leaf attack to cut through the net. We were unprepared for the fall that came afterward.

“We have to get better at landing on our feet,” I groaned after slamming into the ground.

“There’s something we can agree on,” Paul said before grabbing a Poké Ball and charging at the two wild Pokémon. They prepared to counterattack.

“Wait a minute!” I barked, jumping in between everyone.

Paul seemed shocked by my actions. “What are you doing, Girlie? We finally have a chance to beat these two thugs and put an end to all these stupid jokes!”

“Yes, I get that, but you heard it yourself, Paul! Ivysaur and Squirtle don’t like Pokémon Trainers. No, they hate them! Battling them and catching them wouldn’t seem right. There’d be all sorts of issues.”

Ivysaur started shouting all kinds of nonsense at Paul.

“See?”

Soon, Ivysaur got so worked up that Squirtle had to hold it back.

“You really hate trainers, don’t you?” Paul asked.

Squirtle calmly nodded. When I noticed the tears forming in Ivysaur’s eyes, I finally understood what they tried to tell us. My heart shattered. “You two were abandoned, huh?” I muttered.

They both turned and gazed at me.

“I get it now. Your trainers abandoned you. One day, for one reason or another, they just left without you. Then, you both started pulling pranks on other trainers because of how your trainers treated you.”

Their silence spoke volumes.

“How’d you figure that out?” Paul whispered.

I whispered back, “Just a feeling.”

Approaching the Pokémon slowly, I dropped to my knees in front of them. “I’m sorry for what happened to you both. I can only imagine how much pain it put you through, and neither of you deserved any of it. The anger. The sadness. When someone important like that just leaves you behind, never to return, I don’t think there’s a right way to feel.”

Squirtle asked if I had ever felt like they did.

A frown crept onto my face. “Yes. Once. I won’t talk about it, just as I won’t ask you two to talk about the details of what happened to you. I will say that I understand your pain, and those trainers deserve whatever bad stuff comes their way.

“I will also say that not all trainers are like that, so there are better ways to handle being so heartbroken than playing pranks on everyone. It’s not a great way to process your grief since all it does is remind yourself of what happened.”

Squirtle demanded to know what to do instead.

“This may sound a little cheesy, but you have to let them go. Forget about those trainers and move on. They forgot about you, so why should you keep remembering them? They certainly don’t deserve it.”

Ivysaur and Squirtle exchanged sad looks.

“I promise. If you can move on from the sad parts of your past, it’ll make things much easier for both of you.”

After a moment of silence between everyone, Ivysaur and Squirtle nodded their heads in my direction and then spoke amongst themselves. In the meantime, Paul came over and knelt beside me. “What was that?” he muttered.

“Just speaking from the heart.”

“Have you… been abandoned before?”

I locked eyes with him for a split second before turning away. “I’d like to not talk about it.”

Paul seemed ready to pry further, and I expected him to, so it surprised me when he replied with a simple, “Okay.” His attention suddenly turned to his Pokédex, allowing me to gaze at him in awe.

_ Usually, people keep at it until they get answers. _ My mouth curved into a grin.  _ I guess Paul’s not normal, but I already knew that. _

“What’s so funny?” Paul asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I looked away and stifled my laughter. “Nothing.”

There were two clicks right before two Poké Balls opened up from my belt. Luxio and Pikachu appeared before me. Frowning eyebrows were the most apparent features on their angry and adorable faces. “Sorry, guys. We got a little distracted,” I sheepishly admitted.

Suddenly, a drop of water tapped my hand, then another, and another. My gaze drifted up to the sky, nearly allowing a raindrop to hit my eye. A sigh escaped my lips. “And it’s starting to rain.”

“Then that means the storm is almost here,” Paul said.

As I rose to my feet, my eyes drifted back to the two wild Pokémon. “Well, we need to get going. This storm is supposed to get pretty bad, so we want to find the Pokémon Center as quickly as possible.”

Without warning, Ivysaur took off into the forest.

“Where is it going?” Paul asked.

Squirtle barked at us, grabbing my leg and insisting that we follow. We all then chased after Ivysaur.

★

Ivysaur and Squirtle led us through the trees, taking a rather tricky path that no human could remember even after writing it down first. Paul and I ducked or leaped high over obstacles a few times, obstacles that our small Pokémon troupe could avoid.

A quick moment later, we finally burst back out of the forest and came to a hill. Ivysaur stood before us, pointing down the path with a green vine. Squirtle beckoned us to come closer and see for ourselves.

We spotted a cabin at the very bottom of the hill. It looked cozy and warm inside the logs intricately stacked together to form a building, and the building possessed a bright red roof with a large P just above the front entrance. “There it is! The Pokémon Center!” Paul exclaimed. “We made it!”

“Perfect timing. The sun’s about to set,” I added, kneeling to lock eyes with our two Pokémon guides. “Thank you for showing us the way. We can handle it from here. Now go find some shelter before this storm blows you away.”

Squirtle grabbed my hand and shook it enthusiastically.

I laughed. “And maybe once it’s over, you both can go find a new trainer.”

“We better hurry, Rosa, if we want to make it before the sun goes down,” Paul warned, already heading down the hill.

Nodding, I stood back up and waved. “Thanks again, you two. Take care of yourselves.”

Ivysaur and Squirtle waved back to us. Then Ivysaur pulled Squirtle onto its back and raced into the woods. I gave one final look at the forest before rushing after Paul. It started to sprinkle, so we made a desperate break for the Pokémon Center.

However, my eyes caught sight of Pikachu stopped midway down the hill. I came to a stop and looked back. “Pikachu, what’s wrong?” I called.

She barked at me before gesturing off to the side of the path.

“What’s wrong now?” Paul asked, pointing towards our destination. “It’s that way.”

“Pikachu’s spotted something. I have to check it out.”

Luxio and I went back to Pikachu. We then followed her gaze. An orange lizard sat on a rock, and judging by the faded glint in its eyes, it appeared distraught. “It’s a Charmander!” I gasped.

The three of us approached the Charmander carefully. It noticed us. “Hey, what are you doing out in the rain like this?” It looked at me and moved further away. “What’s wrong?” Pikachu and Luxio stepped forward. They greeted Charmander and talked to it.

“They’re probably trying to find out what it’s doing here,” Paul said. “A Charmander shouldn’t be out in the rain for too long.”

That fact didn’t comfort me at all. “Why’s that?”

He pulled out his Pokédex. “ _ Charmander the Lizard Pokémon. A flame burns on the tip of its tail from birth, and its health can be gauged by the fire, burning brightly when in good health. It is said that a Charmander will die if its flame ever goes out. _ ”

The hairs on the back of my neck sprung up like needles. “That’s not good!” Pikachu and Luxio returned to me, explaining the situation, and I translated for Paul. “So Charmander is waiting on that rock for somebody to come and get it.”

“You mean it belongs to somebody?”

“That’s what it seems like.”

“Well then, if it’s waiting for someone, I think we better leave it here.”

“What? We can’t just leave Charmander here alone. It’s starting to rain.”

“There’s nothing we can do. Besides, Charmander probably won’t come with us in the first place.” He gestured towards the fire lizard, who kept a sharp eye on all four of us. “It’s probably best if the trainer takes care of it.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Still…” I couldn’t help but worry about Charmander’s condition. I went over to a tree and grabbed a big leaf, handing it to Charmander. “Here. Use this to cover your tail and protect it from the rain.” It hesitantly accepted. “I hope your trainer comes back real soon.” We left Charmander alone and then continued to the Pokémon Center without any more detours.

★

Paul and I found the Pokémon Center warm and comfortable, along with many other trainers who had been unfortunate to be out in this forest. By now, it poured buckets, sounding like rushed drumming on the windows. The wind howled and tried beating down the doors.

“Finally, the warmth of a Pokémon Center!” I cheered, my hair dripping wet.

“You say that like you’ve never been to one,” Paul grumbled after booking us the last available room.

After getting our Pokémon treated, I fetched dinner for everyone. “I hope you guys like soup because that’s all they were serving in the cafeteria today,” I said, setting down four steaming bowls on the table.

Pikachu and Luxio started eating right away.

Unable to stop thinking about Charmander, I ignored my soup and instead gazed out at the raindrops racing down the window. Charmander’s condition worried me, hoping that its trainer had returned for it.

“What’s wrong, Rosa?” asked Paul suddenly. “You should eat before it gets cold.”

“Sorry. I’m worried about Charmander. Do you think anyone picked it up? What if it was just left there?” My hands balled into fists. “What if it’s been abandoned, just like Ivysaur and Squirtle?”

“Well…” Paul took my bowl and pushed it closer to me. “I don’t think Charmander would wait around this long. Do you?”

After a moment, I smiled. “Yeah, I don’t. Its trainer must’ve gotten it by now.” With that, I dug into my lukewarm soup. “It doesn’t taste the same when it’s not hot.”

“Shouldn’t have let it sit there for so long then, huh?”

I nearly threw my spoon at him.

Some obnoxious laughter nearby disturbed our dinner. A group of Pokémon Trainers sat around a table littered with twenty or so Poké Balls. Among them was a boy with brown hair, the tallest in the group, who appeared to own all of them, and possessed an ego more enormous than an Onix. “Look at them. It’s a pretty cool collection,” he bragged to his fan club.

The fans gave a vast collection of ego-boosting responses:

“Yeah, way cool!”

“You’re the man, Damian.”

“You’re the best Pokémon Trainer ever.”

It disgusted me to watch Damian boast so much. “I don’t like his attitude,” I grumbled.

“His Pokémon probably aren’t even that good,” Paul said.

One of Damian’s friends said, “Yo, Damian, I thought you had a Charmander too.”

“Yeah, I had one, but that puny thing was so weak, it couldn’t even beat a tiny Poliwag. I ended up ditching it on some rock in the woods.”

Paul and I looked at each other. “Charmander?” I muttered in shock.

“That thing is so stupid,” Damian continued. “No matter what I did, it kept on following me. I finally got rid of it by promising that I’d come back for it. It fell for it. It’s probably still there waiting for me.” Damian and his group of idiot friends all started cackling.

“Then that means he’s the one who left that Charmander—no, he abandoned it! And that means it’s still waiting for him,” I said, clenching my fists. Before I even had a chance, Paul shot up from his seat and stomped over to Damian. “What are you doing, Paul?!”

Damian kept up the annoying chatter. “I bet it’s still there wagging its tail. It’ll probably wag it so much it’ll put the flame out—!”

Paul lunged at Damian, picking him up by the collar of his shirt. “Go and get it!” Paul snapped.

“Huh?” Damian squeaked, looking surprised.

Paul looked angrier than I’ve ever seen, scaring even me. “That Charmander is still waiting for you! Go and get it now!”

“Why should I?”

“You lied to your Pokémon and said that you’d be back. Now it’s waiting out there in the rain for you. If Charmander’s flame goes out, it’ll die!”

Damian pried himself out of Paul’s grip. “What I do is none of your business!”

Before Paul could say anything, I stepped up beside him. “Do what he says!” I barked.

Damian said to me, “What’d you say to me, bitch?”

Paul angrily yelled back, “Watch your mouth!”

I growled, “You heard what I said! And you want to be a Pokémon Trainer? You’re disgusting!”

Damian grabbed one of his Poké Balls. “You want to fight with me?”

“It’d make my day!” Luxio and Pikachu growled at him.

His friends all called out threats, words that went in one ear and out the other:

“You don’t know who you’re dealing with!”

“Yeah, you don’t want to mess with Damian!”

Paul quickly replied, “We’ll see about that!”

Before we could continue, a voice called out to us. “Let’s break it up! Break it up! You know the rules!” Nurse Joy approached us, sternly looking at everyone. “Pokémon are never to be used in personal fights. It’s disrespectful to the Pokémon and the trainers.”

Damian turned away, “Yeah, well, tell them. They’re the ones who started it.” He walked away with his crowd of idiots.

“I think you’d be better off not to get mixed up with them. They have a bad reputation.”

“Uh, sure, thanks for the advice,” I said, watching Nurse Joy walk away.

“We’d wipe the floor with those losers. Easily,” Paul muttered under his breath.

I snapped him back to reality. “Oh, forget about them! We need to go find Charmander!”

“That’s right! We’ve got to help it!” Paul and I borrowed heavy-duty raincoats and raced out of the building.

The sheets of rain made it impossible to see. While stumbling through the trees finding our way back to Charmander's rock, I tripped on a branch and fell right into some mud. "What the..?" I growled, struggling to sit up.

"You okay?" Paul asked.

“Yeah.” With his help, I found my footing again, trying to see what tripped me. “I just need to stay on the lookout for—”

Luxio and Pikachu barked at me, alerting me to someone’s presence.

As it turned out, the branch was a vine. It retracted to a small body hiding in the shadows nearby, and I recognized the creature’s voice. “It’s Ivysaur,” Paul said, both of us noticing a second figure. “And Squirtle too.”

Even in dim lighting, their wide grins were easy to identify.

“It’s nice to see you,” I admitted with a weak smile, “But we don’t have time for any games. We need to find someone. A Charmander. It’s out here somewhere abandoned by its trainer, just like you two. If it stays out in this rain any longer, no doubt it’ll die! So either help us or get out of our way.”

Rather than stepping aside, Ivysaur waved a vine like a hand beckoning us all to follow it, and then rushed off up the hill. Everyone sprinted after the Pokémon, keeping close to avoid getting lost in the trees.

We somehow made it back to Charmander’s rock. Our arrival couldn’t have been better timed, as a gang of Spearow swooped down to attack Charmander. The Spearow brushed aside any of the Fire-type’s attempts to defend itself, thanks to its exhaustion, and clawed at it with their sharp talons.

I grabbed a rock and threw it at the Spearow. “Knock it off, Spearow!” I yelled. They ignored me completely. “Pikachu and Luxio use Thunder Bolt!” My two Pokémon attacked the Spearow with a super-effective electric attack.

Squirtle and Ivysaur helped us out with Water Gun and Razor Leaf attacks. It worked to at least get the Spearow away from Charmander. Instead, the flock charged at us. “Squirtle, and Ivysaur, can you guys help us out?” Paul asked.

They both jumped forward to stand in line with Luxio and Pikachu.

When a single Spearow launched at Squirtle, it tucked everything inside its shell and spun in a circle. The collision sent Spearow flying backward while leaving Squirtle completely undamaged.

“Rapid Spin. Nice!” I cheered.

Another couple of Spearow came into attack Ivysaur with Peck, but on Paul’s command, it fought back with a mighty Razor Leaf. Luxio and Pikachu launched one more Thunder Bolt, and it successfully drove everyone away.

Unfortunately, Charmander fell unconscious during the chaos. Paul dashed over to its side and immediately covered it with his raincoat. “The flame on its tail is almost out! We’ve got to bring it back to the Pokémon Center!”

Wrapping Charmander with my raincoat, I took extra care shielding its tail. “I’ll make sure the flame stays lit!” I said.

Still nearby, Ivysaur and Squirtle insisted on helping somehow, same with Luxio and Pikachu.

“Get us to the Pokémon Center,” Paul and I said together.

Just like we discussed, the Pokémon led the way. Paul carried Charmander, and I kept an eye on its tail all the way back to the Pokémon Center. It was a feeble flame, but it was still alight. I shielded it from any water. “You can make it, Charmander!”

We burst through the Pokémon Center’s front doors, taking a moment to catch our breath. I rang my hair out and called, “Nurse Joy, can you please help us?”

She came running out to see us. “What’s wrong?” Nurse Joy asked.

“This Charmander’s in bad shape,” Paul replied. “The flame on its tail is almost out.”

She looked at Charmander, who visibly struggled to remain alive. “There’s not much time. Let’s hurry!”

We brought Charmander to an examination room, laying it on a soft, warm bed. Nurse Joy kept the tail raised while she performed a quick check-up on Charmander’s vitals. “Will it survive?” Paul asked.

“Charmander is very weak,” she replied before turning on us. “How could you let it get in this condition?!”

“It’s not our fault. Damian was the one who abandoned it,” I retorted.

“What?!”

“That’s right. Damian promised Charmander that he’d come back for it. Charmander is loyal to its Trainer, so it believed him,” Paul added.

“Poor Charmander, and Damian just left with the rest of them.”

“Nurse Joy, I’m begging you!” I cried out, locking eyes with hers. “Please save this Charmander! It’s got to get better!”

She looked at me and frowned. “I’ll do what I can,” she said before taking Charmander into the emergency room.

Paul and I anxiously waited outside the door with all the Pokémon. I walked around in circles and tapped my foot on the ground, not wanting to think about anything else but Charmander. Eventually, my exhaustion forced me to sit down, so I sat right before the door propped up against Luxio. I must’ve sat there for three hours straight, and I ended up dozing off at some point.

When I returned to consciousness, all the Pokémon had surrounded me to keep me warm and from falling over. I turned my head back and forth to see where Paul had gone off.

Not two seconds later, I heard a voice: “Oh, you’re awake?” Paul sat right behind me.

I sleepily replied, “Did you sleep too?”

“A little. They convinced me.” He gestured to the Pokémon around us. “They wanted me to keep you from falling backward.”

“Thanks, I guess.” My thoughts quickly returned to Charmander, and my shoulders drooped.

Surprisingly, Paul leaned back just a little to bump me. “Charmander will be fine.”

“How do you know?”

Suddenly, the sign above the door beeped, taking my breath away. We jumped to our feet and watched it open. Nurse Joy stepped out and looked at us, standing not a foot in front of her. She smiled and made a peace sign, making us smile too.

Nurse Joy let us peek our heads through, explaining, “Charmander’s recovering. It should be fine by morning.”

Charmander slept on top of a table lined with soft bedding, its tail flame slowly growing.

I smiled widely.  _ That’s the spirit, Charmander! _

With no other trainers staying at the Pokémon Center that night, Nurse Joy let us camp out in the lobby. That way, we could be close to Charmander in case anything happened. I eventually fell asleep on the couch.

The next morning, it was quiet and peaceful. Then all of a sudden, “Wake up, Rosa!”

The voice made me jump so high that I fell off the couch.

I stood up. “What’s wrong?!”

“It’s Charmander! Charmander’s disappeared from the ER!” Paul replied.

I gasped. “What? But how?”

We rushed over, finding Nurse Joy beside an open window and an empty bed. “I bet it went back to that rock to wait for Damian,” Paul guessed.

“We’ve got to go back!” I suggested.

“But that’s no use. We can’t force Charmander to come with us if it wants to wait for Damian even if he is a lying creep.”

“She’s right,” Nurse Joy said. “There’s nothing you can do until Charmander realizes the truth.”

With nothing left to do, Paul and I decided to continue to Vermillion City. We said goodbye to Nurse Joy, Ivysaur, and Squirtle, and left the Pokémon Center after a quick breakfast. I still felt down in the dumps over Charmander going back for Damian. “I thought Charmander understood that we cared about it,” I said.

“Rosa,” Paul began. “Charmander knew that we cared about it, but don’t you see? It couldn’t forget about Damian. It’s still loyal to him. That’s why it went back for him.”

I nodded my head, but my frown remained.

“Oh, come on. What’s gotten into you? You know that everything will be fine, and soon enough, Charmander will realize the truth and leave to find a better Trainer.”

“You don’t understand!”

“No, I do understand. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize how much you care about that Charmander, and from what I’m getting, it’s all Charmander you care about! Am I right?”

His deduction surprised me, but I stayed quiet for a moment. Then I nodded. “You’re right.” I gazed back at him. “I’m sorry for snapping. I care about Charmander and Charmeleon, and Charizard. They’re important to me.”

“Why do you care so much?” I didn’t reply at first, which made him take back his statement. “Uh, well, you don’t have to tell me.”

Wrapping my arms around myself, I nodded. “Thanks.”

Suddenly, he came around and stood in front of me. “Look. I get how you feel, but you shouldn’t let it worry you. Charmander will be just fine. After all, it’s already proven to be a pretty tough Pokémon.”

“You think so?”

“Well, see for yourself.” He pointed behind me.

A small orange Pokémon approached us. It stood beside our Ivysaur and Squirtle friends. “It’s Charmander!” I gasped.

“What are you guys doing here?” Paul asked.

Ivysaur and Squirtle explained that they brought Charmander to us.

Then Charmander smiled and released a powerful stream of fire from its mouth, burning us all to a crisp. Luxio and Pikachu coughed out ash from their lungs. “See? What’d I tell you? Tough,” Paul sputtered before collapsing.

“You got that right. That was an awesome Flamethrower.” Charmander jumped for joy from the praise given by myself, Ivysaur, and Squirtle. “Well, then I’ve got an offer. How would you like to come with us, Charmander? I’m afraid your trainer isn’t going to come back.”

Paul looked at Charmander. “She’s right. You’d be much better off with us.”

Suddenly a voice called out to us, “Hey, Charmander! I’ve been looking all over for you!”

It was none other than... “Damian!” Paul growled.

“What do you want?” I barked.

“I came back for Charmander, just like I promised,” Damian replied. “So, let’s go then!”

Charmander looked hesitant, and it looked at me and Paul for help. “Be careful. This Trainer’s already abandoned you once before,” Paul warned.

“Charmander is mine. I’m the one who caught it. Remember?”

“Damian, you bragged about how you abandoned it!” I yelled.

“Good thing I did, too. It toughened Charmander up a whole lot. Besides, what’s wrong with dumping all the weak Pokémon?” Charmander gazed up at Damian, extremely hurt by his words. “I wasn’t going to come back for it, but now that I’ve seen what it can do, I’m really glad I ran into you guys. The best thing is I didn’t have to raise it myself.”

Charmander looked like a kicked puppy, and I suddenly wanted to beat the crap out of the bastard. “That’s terrible!” I shouted. “Raising a Pokémon is the best part of being a Pokémon Trainer!”

“You wish! It’s the most boring part!” Damian laughed.

“How dare you call yourself a Pokémon Trainer!” I knelt down beside Charmander. “You see, he doesn’t care about you at all. He just wants to use you to win matches.”

“Oh, I’ve had enough of this. Charmander return!” Damian took out a Poké Ball and threw it. To our surprise, Charmander smacked it with its tail, sending it flying back to Damian and hitting him right on the nose. “Dammit, I’ll crush you with every Pokémon I—!” Charmander blasted him with Flamethrower. Squirtle used Water Gun, and Ivysaur used Razor Leaf. Pikachu and Luxio joined in the attack with Thunder Bolt and Shock Wave.

Now burnt to a crisp, Damian ran away.

“Yeah, good work!” I cheered.

Our cheer got cut short when a light came from Squirtle’s body. It spread until you could no longer see the blue turtle. “And not a moment too soon,” Paul announced.

Ontop of getting bigger, Squirtle sprouted fluffy ears, and its tail also got fluffy. The evolution light faded, and it made a happy cry while jumping around excitedly. Dex immediately retrieved the information on the new Pokémon: “ _Wartortle the Turtle Pokémon, and the evolved form of Squirtle._ _Its long furry tail is a symbol of age and wisdom. A well-groomed tail is said to bring good luck to its trainer._ ”

“You feeling a little stronger, Wartortle?” I laughed, purely amazed at what I witnessed.

Charmander looked back at us, showing that it wanted to come along. “Well, Rosa, there’s a new Charmander for you,” Paul said.

“Don’t forget the other two.” We looked back at the other new friends. “Something tells me they’d like to join the team. Is that right?”

Everyone cheered loudly.

I smiled at Paul. “You did say you wanted to catch Ivysaur.”

“True. How about it, Ivysaur?” The Pokémon smiled and nodded.

“And Wartortle? That leaves you for me.” It and Charmander exchanged a high-five. I threw Poké Balls at them both and caught them easily. Paul begged us to bring the cheering volume down, but I ignored him.


	9. Electric Shock Showdown

After a week of traveling through the woods, seeing Vermillion’s front gate put a smile on my face. “Hooray! We finally made it!” I cheered. “I can’t wait to take a bath!”

“I can’t wait to hit the laundromat,” Paul said, trying to brush some of the dirt off his jacket.

“But first, we’re going to find the Vermillion Gym!” I tried sprinting away.

Paul grabbed my backpack to stop me. “Hey, you’re forgetting something!”

“What’s the matter?” He pointed down at the ground. I found Luxio and Pikachu lying on their stomachs, looking terrible. “Pikachu! Luxio!” We picked them up. “Oh, you both must be starving.”

“Well, it’s not like we’ve eaten anything decent for the past few days.”

Then my stomach growled so loud that Paul could hear. Blushing, I grinned. “I guess we all could use a good meal, and a bath. Right?” My Pokémon agreed.

★

We headed over to the Pokémon Center right away. Paul and I placed our Poké Balls on the counter, right alongside my starving Luxio and Pikachu. “Can you make sure they get something to eat?” I asked. “We haven’t had lunch yet.”

“We’ll fix them right up,” replied Nurse Joy.

“Thank you!” Paul and I said.

Suddenly, a young kid and a Chansey rushed into the Pokémon Center, with a Rattata knocked out on a stretcher. The boy screamed, “Hurry! You’ll be okay, Rattata! Hurry!” They all rushed past us to the ER.

“That Rattata was in rough shape. I wonder what happened,” I said.

“Oh, that’s the fifteenth one this month!” Nurse Joy complained.

“What do you mean?” Paul asked.

Nurse Joy brought us to the Pokémon Center recovery room. Several Pokémon laid out on beds with bandages covering their various injuries, including a Caterpie, an Oddish, and a Sandshrew. Young trainers sat at their Pokémon’s bedside, eyes tight and full of concern. “This is terrible,” I muttered

“They all lost to the Vermillion Gym Leader,” explained Nurse Joy.

“Wow. How tough is he?”

“He’s one of the best in all of Kanto. Trainers rarely get a badge from Lt. Surge.”

“Wait.” My head snapped to look back at her. “Lt. Surge is the gym leader here?”

She seemed a bit surprised by my comment. “Why, yes. Do you know him?”

“Know him?” Stars filled my eyes. “I know everything about him! Lt. Surge is one of the greatest users of electric-type Pokémon in the world! My brother learned all sorts of techniques from him when he went on a journey! His nickname is the Lightning Lieutenant, and he was a pilot in a war!”

“Uh, Rosa,” Paul muttered.

Not hearing my friend, I continued to babble: “As a member of the army, Lt. Surge was a very strict commanding officer, though he was also known to be cautious and even a little paranoid. Electric-type Pokémon saved his life during the war. It’s really no surprise since they’re so amazing, and—”

“Rosa!” Paul’s voice snapped me out of my muttering phase.

“What?” asked myself, shooting him an ignorant look.

“Might want to watch how you praise the man who just beat these trainers senseless.”

All the trainers in the room heard my outburst and weren’t pleased with it. Multiple pairs of enraged eyes burned holes into my body. It felt a little uncomfortable. “Whoops. Sorry,” I apologized with a slight bow.

They all accepted my lame apology and went back to worrying over their Pokémon.

Getting a little nervous, I tapped a hand to my chin. “But man, I have to fight Lt. Surge today. I don’t know if it’ll be possible with my current team.”

Paul picked up on my worry somehow. “Scared yet, Rosa?” he asked.

I hid my nervousness by clearing my throat and standing up straight. “No way!”

“Well, you talk big, but you and I both know how tough it’s going to be challenging someone as powerful as Lt. Surge. I wouldn’t be surprised if you turn chicken. Maybe you should just quit now.”

“Chicken? Remember that I got you a Badge too!”

He suddenly flicked my nose.

“Ow!”

“The last gym doesn’t matter. From the looks of things here, this Lt. Surge seems a lot stronger than the Cerulean sisters, so you’re going to be in for one hell of a battle.”

“You have nothing to worry about except seeing my incredible strength!” I lunged at him.

Nurse Joy stopped me from attacking Paul. “That’s enough,” she said.

“He started it!” I quickly spat.

“No fighting. Remember that this is a hospital.”

My shoulders slumped forward. “Oh, right.”

“Duh,” Paul hissed. I almost attacked him again.

Nurse Joy giggled. “They say if two people fight then they really care about each other.”

I scoffed at the comment. “Me care about him?”

“Me care about her?” Paul retorted, before we turned away from each other.

A bell chimed overhead. “That signal means your Pokémon have recovered,” Nurse Joy announced.

Luxio and Pikachu waited for us in the lobby beside several Poké Balls. They finished the last few bites of some apples. “Hey guys!” I called as I hopped over to them. “I hope you’re full because we’ve got ourselves a Badge to win!” They both looked ready for a good fight, especially Pikachu. “That’s right. A promise is a promise. You get to battle next, Pikachu.” She jumped for joy.

Suddenly, another trainer and a Chansey darted past us with a Pokémon. The kid screamed at the top of his lungs, “Just hold on, Pidgey!” They rushed straight into the emergency room.

“They must’ve come from the gym,” Paul said.

Pikachu suddenly had a meltdown, demanding to skip out of today’s battle.

“What? Don’t be a coward. You’re the one who wanted to battle today?” She cried at me and pointed towards the emergency room doors. “Well, no, I don’t want you to end up like that Pidgey.”

Pikachu sighed in relief.

I made a wide grin. “That’s no problem because you’ll win!” I grabbed her arm and wanted to take her to the gym, but she hung onto a bench. “Don’t be a scaredy cat!” Pikachu stuck to that bench like glue. When I tugged harder, she zapped me with Thunder Bolt.

“The way those two fight must mean they care a lot,” Paul said to Luxio, who nodded in agreement.

“Stop! Pikachu!” I shouted.

She stopped shocking me.

My hair sprung up in all directions. I pat it down quickly before kneeling before my frightened Pokémon. “Look. I know it seems scary battling such a powerful opponent, but you have to remember that you won’t be alone. I’ll be right there with you the whole time, and together, we’re going to win our next badge.”

Pikachu hesitated before making a confident smile and raising a fist.

“That’s the spirit.”

“You two remember who you’re about to fight, right?” Paul asked.

“Yeah, of course we do. That’s why we’re so pumped.”

“I hope you don’t plan on using that Pikachu for your match,” sneered an approaching kid.

I quickly got up in his face. “Well, yeah, I did plan on it. She wanted to battle in our next gym match so I’m going to let her. So what?”

Making a cocky grin, he folded his arms. “Then that’s going to suck for you.”

“What makes you so sure? Just a minute ago, you rushed in here with that lame Pidgey of yours,” Paul growled. “A flying-type in an electric gym isn’t a smart choice either.”

“I’m just saying that Pikachu is just as bad a choice as a flying-type.”

“Why? Because of Raichu?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Raichu?” Paul repeated.

The kid laughed out loud. “Of course because of Raichu. Your puny Pikachu doesn’t stand a chance against its evolved form. It’ll get knocked out before it even manages to land an attack.”

“Who do you think you are giving advice on Pokémon battles when you yourself made a terrible decision?!” I snapped. Luxio and Pikachu had to hold me back.

“Hold on,” Paul said. “What’s this about a Raichu?”

I was surprised he didn’t know. “Raichu is Lt. Surge’s primary Pokémon and his strongest without a doubt. He’s used it in every battle since he first became a gym leader, and it remains undefeated to this day. In some matches, Raichu has won matches 3-0 without even breaking a sweat.”

“That good?” Paul seemed surprised.

“Well, yeah. Sure, all of his Pokémon are top-notch, but Surge has had his Raichu as long as he’s been a trainer. Everyone knows it’s a tough Pokémon to bring down.”

“Right, so everyone knows that a wimpy Pikachu doesn’t stand a chance against Raichu,” added the kid.

I barely managed to keep my cool. All my anger channeled into my words rather than my fists. “Don’t you dare talk about my Pokémon like that! Now get the hell out of here!”

The kid walked off cackling to himself.

My body trembled. “What a bastard. I feel sorry for his Pokémon.”

“He seems to have a good point, though,” Paul noted.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, it’s simple. Raichu is the evolved form of Pikachu, so it’s bound to have power and moves that Pikachu can’t access. You should be well aware of the challenges Pikachu will face if it battles. It’ll be totally overpowered.”

“Hey. It may be hard but it won’t be impossible. Pikachu and I can win! Right, pal?”

Pikachu jumped onto my head and yelled at Paul.

“You both are crazy! Do you even have a plan?!”

“Well...not really. But we just need to train a bit more. That’s all!”

Paul rolled his eyes. “That’s not a plan.”

“It doesn’t matter. We’re winning us a badge today!”

“How?!”

Now, I wanted to beat Paul up.

“There is one way you could win against Lt. Surge with Pikachu,” said an approaching Nurse Joy. She frowned at our surprised faces. “I’m sorry, but I overheard your plan for the gym and thought I could help you out.”

Though I started to get sick of everyone’s opinions, I knew deep down to listen to any and all options. “What did you have in mind?” I asked.

“A while ago, I just happened to come across this.” She opened a small box.

We saw a bright green stone inside. “A Thunder Stone?!” Paul gasped.

“I’ve never seen one in person,” I muttered, taking the stone in my hand. “How did you even come across this?”

“Well, there’s a settlement called Stone Town in southern Kanto. It sits right at the base of Evolution Mountain where there’s a large deposit of evolution stones. I stumbled upon this stone while crossing over the pass, and though I never had a Pokémon to use it on, maybe one day I’d find a trainer who could use it.”

“Wow. That’s incredible. I have to make sure to visit that place.”

“This means you can evolve Pikachu into Raichu!” Paul exclaimed.

I gazed at the stone. “Then Pikachu could beat Lt. Surge and his Raichu.”

“You have to think hard before using the Thunder Stone,” warned Nurse Joy.

Knowing the risks of using an evolutionary stone, I nodded. “Right.”

“Why’s that?” Paul asked, earning himself a look from me.

“I’m surprised you didn’t know. Using a stone to make a Pokémon evolve is like any other evolution. If I make Pikachu evolve…” A knot formed in my stomach. “...I can’t change her back.”

My head drooped to gaze at Pikachu.

“And then, Pikachu will never be the same,” added Nurse Joy.

The stone glimmered in my hands. “If Pikachu becomes a Raichu, I might be able to win that Badge. On the other hand, to make her evolve just to fight, I’d be just like Lt. Surge.” This whole situation had me feeling uneasy.

★

Outside, Paul and I had a bit of lunch before the gym battle. We let our Pokémon run around in the park while we feasted on some sandwiches. The entire time, the thunder stone sat in my hand and stared me in the face.

“I don’t know what to do, Paul,” I admitted.

“About Pikachu?”

“Pikachu. Surge. The gym battle. Everything.”

“Weren’t you set on using Pikachu?”

“I still am, but now that I have this stone, I’m on the fence on whether to use it or not. mean, I’m still set on using Pikachu.”

“Do you really think Pikachu is going to be a good matchup against Surge’s electric-types?”

“I don’t really have any choice, Paul. You’ve seen my whole team. The only Pokémon on my team that can face electric-types are, in fact, electric-types. Everyone else is either a flying or water Pokémon. I do have Charmander, but she’d need backup. Besides, Pikachu is very strong and  _ wants _ to fight.”

“It doesn’t matter how much she wants to fight. Surge’s Raichu is exceptionally strong. Using a Pikachu is not a very wise decision. The best option is to just evolve it.”

“I don’t care about any of that! Besides, I’ve figured out the only reasonable action.”

“And what’s that?”

Singling Pikachu out from the crowd of Pokémon, I walked straight to her. “Pikachu, come here for a second.”

She dashed over.

I knelt down and held out the stone. “What do you want to do?”

Pikachu seemed taken aback by my question.

“I want to beat Surge more than anything! Evolving you would make this battle a sure thing, but I also don’t want to force you to evolve if you’d be happier staying the way you are now. A Pokémon evolving is up to the Pokémon and the Pokémon alone.”

She thought about it for a while, gazing at the stone.

Then, after a long moment, Pikachu slapped the stone out of my hand. “Pikachu?” She went into a long tirade, explaining that she wouldn’t change. She wanted to fight Raichu as herself, in the name of all Pikachu.

Nearly driven to tears, I grabbed both of her paws. “Pikachu, I’m sorry I got discouraged there. You’re right. We can’t just give in. We have to fight Surge our own way. Not the way everyone tells us. Together, we’re going to make a plan and beat Lt. Surge  _ and _ his Raichu!” She enthusiastically nodded her head.

“You’re both crazy!” Paul barked.

“Like I said, it’ll be hard, but it’s not impossible! Pikachu and I will find a way to win!”

Pikachu also yelled at Paul, pointing at herself and at me. He seemed a little nervous at her outburst. “What’d she say?”

I sniffled. “She said that she’s going to prove she can beat Raichu, and she’s going to defend her honor, and mine too.” Tears went down my face as I picked up Pikachu and squeezed her tight. “Oh, Pikachu! I love you!”

My other Pokémon rushed over. “Well, gang, are we all charged up?” They all cheered.

“So, who’s on the team then?” Paul asked.

“Standard gym leaders usually don’t use more than three. I pick Luxio, and Charmander, and Pikachu is exclusively for Raichu.” All the Pokémon not selected were totally bummed out by my decision. “Sorry, guys. I know you all love to battle, but I can only pick three, and it’s an electric-type gym.” They accepted my excuse.

“Do you have any strategy formulated?”

“Well, Luxio has several non-electrical attacks in his arsenal, so he’ll be fine, and he also can’t get paralyzed. Charmander can use her flames to keep the opponents at bay. Nobody likes being burned.”

“And for Pikachu?”

Exchanging looks with her, we both grinned. “I have something awesome in mind. You’ll have to wait to see it.”

He stared at me, confused.

★

After lunch, and a bit of training, we all headed to the Vermillion Gym. I admired the appearance of the gym, an enormous warehouse with lightning bolts painted all over it. “So this is the Vermillion Gym,” I said. “A user of Electric-type Pokémon. My kind of opponent!”

“It’s not too late to back out,” Paul laughed.

“Why should I back out when I’m going to win? Just stick around and watch me!”

“I’ll stick around to see your face when you get creamed.”

“If you think we’re going to get creamed, you’re going to be disappointed!”

I marched up to the front doors and opened them up, stepping inside. We came upon two trainers wearing military-style uniforms. Slightly intimidated, I stood my ground. “Hello! I’ve come to challenge the Vermillion Gym for a Badge!”

One of the trainers called back behind them, “Hey boss! Another victim for the ER!”

A huge muscular man stepped forward, wearing a high-ranking uniform: Lt. Surge! He smiled and greeted us with, “Welcome to Vermillion Gym!” He then reached out and gave me a hug, scaring me to death. He stood back after a moment. “My next challenger is a cute one. Don’t think I’ll go easy on you, sweetheart.” He patted my head.

I pushed his hand away. “Watch your mouth! My name’s Rosa!”

“Well, I call everyone who loses to me a baby. Would you prefer that?” He then looked down at my two Pokémon, taking an interest in my Pikachu. “Hey, look! A Pikachu!” He turned back to his fellow Trainers. “Isn’t that great? The baby brought along a baby Pokémon.” They all started laughing.

“Quit it! Don’t make fun of my Pokémon!” Pikachu got angry and yelled at them.

“But it’s funny. Here. I’ll show you why.” He tossed a Poké Ball. An orange mouse with a long tail and curly brown ears emerged from it.

My heart started to race. “There it is.”

Dex scanned it. “ _ Raichu the Mouse Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pikachu. Raichu can shock with more than 100,000 volts, enough to render a Dragonite unconscious. _ ”

“I’m flattered you know about my prized pupil here. All the more reason to back out of your challenge. If you want to quit, now’s your chance,” laughed. Lt. Surge.

My eyes narrowed. “There’s no way we’re quitting now!” I announced with Pikachu at my side.

“Ha! You’re battling with that! What could a baby like that do? If you want to ever become a Pokémon Master, you should make your Pokémon evolve as soon as you catch it.” He patted his Raichu on the head.

“There’s more to a Pokémon than forcing it to evolve, and I like this Pikachu just the way she is.” Pikachu smiled at me.

Lt. Surge and his friends all laughed. “Wrong, baby! Electric Pokémon are only useful once they’ve learned all the different Electric-type attacks.” He wagged his finger, and Raichu did too. “You keep it puny like that and it’s no more than a little pet.”

Pikachu got mad and sparked her cheeks. Passionate flames engulfed my vision. “We’ll see about that. Nobody insults my Electric-type and gets away with it!”

“Okay, baby, did you just come here to show off your little pet?”

“We came here to earn a Thunder Badge!” Pikachu jumped in front of me and angrily sparked her cheeks even more than before. “Pikachu?”

“That’s unusual. Pikachu really wants to battle,” Paul said.

“That’s no surprise. Pikachu, I’m counting on you.” She looked back and nodded her head.

Lt. Surge and his Raichu both shrugged their shoulders. “Oh well. I guess you’ll learn the hard way that playing with the big kids can be a shocking experience.”

We headed over to the battlefield, a dimly lit stadium. Pikachu and I stood opposite the Gym Leader and his Raichu. Paul and Luxio stood behind us to watch. Lt. Surge had one of his friends be the referee. “This Pokémon battle will now begin. Only one Pokémon may be used for either Trainer!”

“One Pokémon?” I repeated.

“Go Raichu!” Surge barked, and his Raichu raced out onto the battlefield.

“The Gym Leader, Lt. Surge, has chosen Raichu. Challenger Rosa, what Pokémon will you use?”

I nodded towards the one Pokémon I wanted to battle Raichu. “Pikachu, it’s just you and me this time. Let’s beat them down and win our third badge!” Pikachu nodded her head before running out in front of me.

“The challenger, Rosa, has chosen Pikachu. No time limits. Let the battle begin!”

“Go Pikachu! Give ‘em Thunder Bolt!” Pikachu raced forward and blasted Raichu with a powerful electric shock. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to do a thing. “What? It must’ve done something!”

“Raichu, show them a real Thunder Bolt!” Raichu returned the favor with its own powerful attack. It scored a direct hit.

Pikachu collapsed in front of me. “Pikachu!”

“It’s over. You didn’t really think that your Pikachu could beat my Raichu, did you?”

“Call it back, Rosa!” Paul yelled.

“But—!”

“Raichu’s shocks are too powerful! This is a mismatch!”

I didn’t want to surrender, but Paul made a good point. However, before I could call anything, Pikachu pushed herself back onto her feet and glared at Raichu. “You still want to fight?” She viciously sparked her cheeks and growled.

Lt. Surge and Raichu laughed. “It’s pretty gutsy for a toy.”

“Pikachu use Iron Tail!” Pikachu leapt forward with a glowing tail.

“I enjoy playing with toys, but playtime’s over. Mega Punch!” Raichu dodged Pikachu’s tail and then punched her with a power-packed fist. “Now use Mega Kick!” A powerful kick knocked Pikachu away, leaving her severely injured.

“He won’t give us the chance to attack,” I muttered, losing my will to battle the more hits my Pikachu suffered.

“Give us the big finale, Raichu! Thunder!” Raichu unleashed the most powerful Thunder Bolt I’d ever seen.

My Pokémon laid in the attack’s path, barely able to move. Though I could tell she wanted to continue, I wanted to give up and avoid her taking anymore damage.

_ Your Pokémon’s power is proportionate to your power, _ I suddenly heard in my head.

And suddenly, that strange voice had flipped on a switch, reminding me to not give up the battle. If I didn’t give up, then Pikachu would be able to win. “We’re not going to lose, Pikachu! Quick Attack, go!” Pikachu summoned all her strength and dashed out of Thunder’s path just before it landed. “Yes! That’s the way, Pikachu!”

“I see you planned a new way to lose! Go Raichu! Use Slam!” Raichu used its tail to bring my Pikachu down to the ground. “Now give it a Body Slam!” Raichu jumped up and fell on top of Pikachu.

“Hang in there, Pikachu!”

“Finish with another Body Slam!” Raichu jumped up and came down once more.

“Dodge it!” Pikachu dodged Raichu’s attack, allowing it to take some damage from slamming into the ground. “It’s showtime, Pikachu! Agility!” Pikachu ran circles around the battlefield, picking up speed with every step.

“Raichu use Body Slam!” Raichu tried hitting Pikachu with Body Slam over and over, but it kept missing due to Pikachu’s incredible speed. Thus, Raichu kept crashing into the ground and hurting itself. “Uh, Raichu?”

“Your idea is working!” Paul cheered.

I grinned like a madman. “Of course it did. Since Lt. Surge evolved his Pikachu as soon as he got it, Raichu never learned any of the speed moves it could only learn back in the Pikachu stage. That would give us the advantage! Now use all the speed you got! Quick Attack again!”

Pikachu accelerated to full speed as she ran laps around Raichu. When it got dizzy enough, Pikachu tackled Raichu and sent it flying back.

“Yeah! Your Raichu is way too slow, Surge! That’s it’s weakness!”

“Okay Raichu, give it a Thunder Bolt! Shut it down!” Raichu let loose a powerful Thunder Bolt to fill the entire battlefield. The attack ripped up the floor and blew out all the windows in the room, leaving only a cloud of dust. Lt. Surge laughed. “The end of the match!” However, when the dust cleared away, Pikachu revealed herself to be standing on her glowing tail, completely unaffected by the attack. “What?!”

“Way to use Iron Tail, Pikachu! Just like we talked about!” I cheered, noticing how she used her tail as a ground to keep herself unaffected.

“Raichu, give it another Thunder Bolt!” Raichu tried attacking again, but it seemed unable to muster up the electricity. “Do something!”

“It’s over. Raichu ran out of electricity,” Paul laughed.

“Pikachu, finish it with another Quick Attack!” Pikachu raced forward.

“Raichu use Take Down!” Raichu quickly responded.

Unfortunately, my quick Pikachu struck first and slammed into Raichu’s stomach. “One more Iron Tail!” She then slammed Raichu in the head with Iron Tail. Raichu fell back on the ground.

Lt. Surge watched his Pokémon fall and screamed, “Unbelievable!”

I jumped for joy. “We did it, Pikachu!” She ran over and leapt into my arms.

“That was great!” Paul cheered, running over with Luxio. Pikachu smiled at them.

With the match over, Lt. Surge and I shook hands. “Congratulations on winning. Rosa, nice job, and Pikachu too. As proof of your victory, here’s a Thunder Badge.” He held out an orange and yellow Badge shaped like a sun.

“Thank you!” I replied happily, taking the Badge with a bow.

“You should be proud. You and your Pikachu really fought well together.”

“Thanks a lot. Yeah, I got a Thunder Badge!” Pikachu, Luxio, and I all cheered.

Lt. Surge and his two friends clapped. “Nice job, Rosa. You’re definitely no baby,” he laughed. His Raichu clapped for Pikachu, making her blush. We both learned an important lesson that day: there’s more to a Pokémon than just evolving.


	10. Battle Aboard the St. Anne

The next day, Pikachu, Luxio, and I wanted to explore Vermillion Pier. Paul won his Badge early that morning, but then he decided he’d rather continue his Pokémon training than go sightseeing. We parted ways, promising to meet again soon, and then he left town via the western gate.

Luxio, Pikachu, and I crossed a short bridge to get to Vermillion Pier. We knew we stood in the right place when we spotted several luxury cruise liners sitting in the harbor. “Let’s go get a closer look,” I suggested.

We took a look around at all the ships. “Wow! They’re all beautiful!” I said. Luxio and Pikachu agreed. “I’d love to cross the ocean on a ship like these. Just think of all the Pokémon we’d be able to see along the way, and imagine sunbathing on the deck all day.” Pikachu tapped my forehead, reminding me that I could never afford a cruise like that. I frowned. “Reality sure can bum you out.”

Exploring more of the pier, a couple of ganguro girls stopped us, one with short, blonde hair and another with long, red hair. “Congratulations! You’re way lucky! You get to go on a super deluxe sea cruise!” they hollered in my face.

Startled out of my skin, I stepped back and muttered, “A sea cruise?”

“Well, it’s just like, you know, we have these super cool incredible tickets for you!”

“Tickets?”

“These are tickets for the biggest party ever aboard the St. Anne cruise liner.”

I vaguely remember hearing that ship before. “The famous St. Anne?”

“The coolest ship in the sea! Everyone is going to get together and have the coolest party! And the party is for Pokémon Trainers only! Step this way! It’ll be a radical party! All of the most radical Pokémon Trainers will be there!”

I whispered to my Pokémon. “Does anyone say radical anymore?” They both shrugged.

“Okay, dude, like, here you go.” She handed me a ticket.

“Well, I’d love to go on a luxury cruise, but I really don’t have the money to pay for it.”

“Oh, wow! Like, you don’t understand. This ticket is totally free!”

“For free? Why are you giving them away?” I couldn’t help but be suspicious.

“Well, we’d love to go, but we already had plans to go on a trip with our boyfriends, so we wanted to give our tickets away to cool Pokémon Trainers. We saw you and thought you’d be really cool with taking one. We still have to find a second Trainer to take the other ticket. Just take this and have a really cool time!”

“Thanks a lot!” I took the ticket.

“No sweat. Now have a nice day!” The two girls skipped away.

I looked at the ticket in my hand. “This really is cool, isn’t it?” My Pokémon agreed.

We searched around for the ship in question. They didn’t have any signs, so our search proved to be as difficult as could be. “How are we supposed to know which ship it is?” I felt Pikachu tap my head. She pointed at the ship parked at the very end of the dock. Although not the biggest, it certainly looked the fanciest. “You think that’s it?”

Luxio then barked at me. “What’s wrong, Luxio?” He pointed left.

A group of kids walked into view, admiring the ship: a young redhead girl and two boys all about my age. One of the boys gasped and said, “Wow! It’s huge!”

I recognized the Pikachu on his head, and the other boy’s spiky brown hair. “It’s Ash, and Brock too! Let’s go say hi!” The three of us ran over to them. “Hey, Ash! Brock!”

They turned just as I walked up. “Hey, Rosa! It’s been a while,” Ash said.

Ash’s Pikachu jumped onto my shoulder. I scratched his head. “I see you’ve been doing well, Pikachu. Say hi to my Pikachu.” He greeted my Pikachu, ecstatic to have a new Pika pal.

“Nice to see you,” Brock said.

“Back at you. I thought you weren’t traveling around because of the Gym and having to take care of your siblings.”

“Actually, the day after you left, Ash and I had a Gym match. Then my father showed up, and long story short, I decided to travel with Ash on his journey.”

“You mean your good-for-nothing father that left to become a Pokémon Trainer?”

He laughed. “That’s the one. He promised he’d take care of my siblings, leaving me free to travel.”

“Well then that’s awesome, Brock. Congrats!”

The redhead stepped forward. “So you’re Rosa? I’m Misty.”

“Nice to meet you, but how’d you know who I was? Did they tell you?”

“Actually, my sisters told me about you. They talked about how you challenged all three of them to battles using only one Pokémon, a Shinx that evolved into a Luxio.”

“Your sisters?” I remembered the three Gym Leaders back in Cerulean City. “Does that mean you’re a Cerulean City Gym Leader too?”

“That’s right. I’m the fourth Sensational Sister.”

“Actually, like they said, there’s only three Sensational Sisters and one runt,” Ash laughed.

Misty got really upset. “Oh, you better watch it, Ash!”

“So, what are you doing here, Rosa?” Brock asked.

“Well, I was just looking around at all the cruise ships. I don’t have a ton of money so I didn’t plan on getting on one or anything. But then these two weird girls gave me this ticket for a party on the St. Anne, for free.” I showed them the ticket in question.

“Really? That’s funny,” Ash said. “Because we just ran into a couple weird people who gave us these tickets for free too.” He showed me three of the exact same tickets. They looked official and everything too.

“Seriously? That’s interesting. Why’d they give them to you?”

“They told me that I was the one millionth person to walk across the bridge.”

I thought about the situation. “That’s really strange. Something weird is going on.”

“Well, for now, all we know is we have free tickets to a cruise!” Misty cheered.

I laughed. “I guess you’re right. Well, then that means we all get to hang out for a little while.”

“Awesome!” Brock said. “Let’s get going then.”

We made our way over to the St. Anne, which turned out to be the nice ship we spotted earlier. I got a chance to catch up with Ash and the others, talking about my travels so far and the Gym Badges that I’ve earned. I also mentioned how I caught Pikachu back in Viridian Forest, and that I had a few other Pokémon too.

Ash told me that he had only won two Badges so far, but he planned to get his third at the Vermillion Gym after the cruise. He met Misty back in Viridian City, after Pikachu accidently destroyed her bike. He had a Gym battle against Brock at the Pewter Gym, and then Misty at the Cerulean Gym.

“It sounds like you guys have had a lot of adventures already,” I laughed.

“We have. It’s been quite a journey so far,” Ash replied.

“Rosa, what happened to the friend you’ve been traveling with?” Misty asked.

“Oh, well, he wanted to work on his Pokémon training, so he wanted to get to the next town as soon as possible. On the other hand, I wanted to go sightseeing. He left town this morning.”

“Too bad. I sure would’ve liked to at least say hi,” Brock said.

“Ah, oh well. I’m sure you guys can meet him some day.” A part of me felt glad Paul wasn’t there to meet them. I don’t know how well they would’ve liked him.

After having our tickets checked, we boarded the St. Anne and headed up a flight of stairs to the main deck. The ship looked spectacular from every angle. “This is an awesome ship!” Ash gasped in surprise.

“I’d love to travel the whole ocean on this,” Misty added.

Getting to the top of the stairs, we headed into the main ballroom.

We came upon the sight of thousands of people gathered for a party. Tons of people dressed up in costumes, laughing and talking and playing games. Several booths lined the outer walls, selling all sorts of Pokémon-themed merchandise. Plus, just about everyone here had a Pokémon with them and showed them off to everyone else. “It’s like a giant Pokémon convention,” Brock said.

“It’s a Poké Con,” I replied.

“Poké Con?” The trio repeated.

“Right. These are parties where everyone who attends are Pokémon Trainers. It’s kind of like heaven with everything based around Pokémon.”

We passed by a couple of Trainers showing off their Charmander. “Take a look at the smooth skin on my Charmander. That shows how healthy it is.”

Another boy said, “Yeah, well take a look at my Charmander’s flame. There’s orange mixed in with red. Cool, huh?”

A third boy ran over with a Squirtle in his arms and a big grin on his face. “Lame! Just look how hard the shell is on my Squirtle. That means it’s tough.”

“My Charmander and my Wartortle are way better,” I said with a grin.

We heard a commotion in the distance and rushed to check it out. A young Trainer and his Starmie battled against an old man and his Pokémon. “Starmie use Rapid Spin!”

“Raticate use Jump Kick!” Raticate collided with Starmie, their attacks negating each other. “Now use Super Fang!” Raticate gnawed down on Starmie’s red core, breaking it and knocking out Starmie to give the old man the win.

The young boy picked up his Pokémon. “Are you okay, Starmie? I’m sorry.”

“Don’t feel too bad, young man. It was only a practice match, and I just happened to be real lucky. Keep on building your Starmie’s strength.” The boy nodded his head before walking off. The old man turned to the crowd. “Anyone brave enough to challenge my Raticate?”

“I’m fired up!” Ash yelled, scaring me after I saw flames in his eyes. He ran up to face the old man. “How about battling my Butterfree?”

“As you wish.”

Ash called out his Butterfree, and they began. “This should be good. I’ve never seen Ash battle before,” I said.

“I hope he knows what he’s doing,” Misty grumbled.

“Raticate use Jump Kick!” Raticate jumped high into the air.

“Butterfree use Tackle!” Butterfree charged for Raticate. The two Pokémon exchanged moves.

“Raticate use Hyper Fang!” Raticate tried chomping down on Butterfree.

“Dodge it!” Butterfree narrowly avoided Raticate’s strong teeth. “Stun Spore!” Raticate got paralyzed and writhed in pain. “Yeah! Let’s finish this u—!”

“Hold on!” The old man called off the match and went to pick up his Raticate. “That’s enough battling. Why don’t we just call it a draw?” With a bow, he walked away.

Ash didn’t look too happy. “But I was winning...”

★

Soon enough, the ship sailed out of Vermillion City. The ship’s crew served lunch in the dining room. I joined Ash, Misty, and Brock for a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet. We stuffed our faces with everything you could imagine: gourmet sandwiches, soups, cakes, turkey legs, and much more.

I gathered up as many bowls of noodles as I could find and chowed down. “I do love noodles!” I happily cheered. Luxio jumped for joy, sharing a giant strawberry cake with Misty and the two Pikachu. Ash and Brock enjoyed the gourmet collection of sandwiches and rice balls. An endless supply of juice, soda, and water kept our thirst level way down.

During our meal, the old man from earlier stepped over to us. “So are you all having yourself a good time?” he asked.

“Yes, sir, we’re having a great time,” Ash replied.

“You know, the Butterfree you’ve got is quite strong.”

The lady hanging off the old man’s arm smiled and added, “It’s incredible.”

“She’s beautiful,” Brock muttered, his face completely red.

Misty waved a hand in front of Brock’s face. “Hello? Anyone home?” Misty giggled. Brock didn’t answer her at all, like she didn’t exist. “Here we go again.”

I was confused. “What’s up with Brock?” I asked.

“It’s best not to ask. Just watch.”

“Well, I put a lot of work into raising my Butterfree,” Ash said.

The old man asked, “What did you think of my Raticate?”

“It looked great, and it really put up a tough fight.”

“In that case, I’ll be direct. Why don’t we trade?”

“Trade Pokémon?”

“When two people find that they each like the other’s Pokémon, they trade. It’s quite a common practice everywhere.”

“Everywhere?”

“You see, friends who trade will then trade with their other friends, and so friendships grow deeper and continue to spread wider and wider. Trading and making new friends is one of the best things about having Pokémon. That’s how Pokémon friendships get to spread all around the world.”

The lady next to him said, “Friendship is wonderful, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, why don’t you and I start a friendship right now?” Brock asked her.

“Oh, I see what’s happening,” I laughed, remembering my first meeting with Brock.  _ At least he won’t act like that around me anymore. _

“What do you guys think?” Ash asked. “Should I trade?”

Brock answered, “Oh yeah. You’ve got to trade. Everybody should trade. Let’s start trading!”

Ash looked at me. “Rosa?”

“It’s up to you, Ash. It’s an offer for you, not me. If you want to trade, go for it.”

“Ok then.”

The old man brought us to a trade machine in the hallway. Both him and Ash put into trays the Poké Balls containing the Pokémon they wanted to trade, in this case Raticate and Butterfree. The old man said, “Ok. Here we go,” and flipped a switch.

The two Poké Balls went inside the machine. The images of the Pokémon swapped places on the screen overhead. Then two Poké Balls popped out in the exact same spots. Each trainer took one. “Well, that’s all there is to it. Raticate is your new Pokémon.” He waved and walked away, leaving Ash gazing down at his new Poké Ball.

★

Later that evening, the four of us all decided to take a break before dinner’s events. We checked into our rooms, requesting that they be right beside each other. I dropped my bag on the bed and let everyone out of their Poké Balls.

While they all ate, I took a bubble bath and washed my hair, loving the chance to feel fresh again. “This water feels so nice. I never got a chance to take an actual bath in Vermillion City,” I told Luxio, who curled up on the bathroom rug beside the tub. When I flicked water on him, he growled in annoyance. “Relax. You should take a bath too. There’s plenty of room.”

Luxio aggressively shook his head. I gave up and relaxed in the water for a little longer.

After my bath, I got dressed and went out onto the deck. Ash gazed out at the sea, with his Pikachu at his side. “What’s the matter, Ash? You look so serious,” I said. Luxio stepped up beside me.

“I was just thinking about my trade earlier. I wondered if that guy is going to take good care of my Butterfree,” Ash replied.

“I see.”

“I traded my Butterfree to someone I don’t really know just because he seemed to like trading so much. I really don’t even know if he’ll take care of it the way I did.”

“Well, look on the bright side. You got a new Pokémon in return, a Raticate.”

“It’s just when I was trading it away I remembered the time when it evolved into Butterfree from a Metapod, and when it evolved from a Caterpie. You know, Caterpie was the very first Pokémon I ever caught.”

“Hey. Caterpie was my first Pokémon I ever caught too.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Here. You can see all my other Pokémon too.” I ran over to my room’s door and propped it open. “You guys want to come out and say hi.” Without a second thought, my other six Pokémon all rushed out. “Introducing Rosa’s amazing Pokémon team: Pidgeotto, Butterfree, Zubat, Charmander, Wartortle, Pikachu...and Luxio.”

Butterfree flew down to Ash, letting him pet her. “Hey. Your Butterfree’s pink instead of purple.”

“Yep. She’s one of a kind.” Butterfree happily fluttered around my head. “And being the first that I ever caught in the wild, it’s really important that I know what’s best, for her and the others too.”

“Know what’s best for them?”

“That’s right. Everything from deciding the best food for them to who they should be trained by, or even if they should be released back into the wild. It’s a Pokémon Trainer’s job to make the best possible decisions.”

“The best possible decision?” He thought about it, gazing down at Raticate’s Poké Ball.

★

We all went back to the main ballroom for more party events, including a band playing live music, a series of exciting Pokémon battles, and the chance to interact with lots of Pokémon Trainers. Just as the clock hit six for dinner, however, the room locked itself down. Every door slammed shut, and curtains covered the walls to prevent anyone from escaping.

Then the entire ship’s crew ripped off their uniforms to reveal black uniforms underneath, all with big red R’s on the front; the ship uniforms were just a disguise! “Team Rocket?!” I exclaimed.

The lights dimmed. A single spotlight shone down on a table, where a man and woman dressed in white Team Rocket outfits stood. They started shouting to the crowd:

“To protect the world from devastation,

To unite all peoples within our nation,

To denounce the evils of truth and love,

To extend our reach to the stars above,

Jessie!

James!

Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light

Surrender now or prepare to fight!

Meowth, that’s right!”

The pair shouted one line after the other. The last line was said by a Meowth, one that could talk! The woman, who I guessed to be Jessie, shouted, “Team Rocket will now take possession of everyone’s Pokémon!” The Team Rocket grunts all around the room turned on vacuum backpacks to capture everyone’s Poké Balls, while the Pokémon Trainers were all too scared to do anything.

One of the grunts approached me and barked, “Give me your Pokémon!”

“No way!” I replied, shoving him to the side.

Another grunt came up from behind Misty and Brock. “Don’t make me take them!”

A third grunt reached out to grab my arm. An enraged Luxio jumped forward and attacked the grunt with Shock Wave, standing in front of me and flicking his tail back and forth. I turned to Ash and the others. “If they’re going to try to rob our Pokémon, we might as well make this a battle.”

“Yeah, we can’t just surrender!” Ash added.

“Let’s fight back!” Brock yelled.

“Yeah!” Misty cheered.

The four of us spurred the other Pokémon Trainers to fight back. Everyone sent out Pokémon left and right. Thus, Team Rocket only captured the empty Poké Balls with their vacuum packs. “We’ve got to fight them together!” I shouted. “Pikachu go!”

“You too, Pikachu!” Ash sent out his Pikachu as well. Several other Pikachu joined in to attack with one giant Thunder Bolt.

“Wartortle, it’s showtime!” I sent out my Water-type, who joined up with other Wartortle and Squirtle. They attacked Team Rocket with a powerful Water Gun combination, with the help of Misty’s Staryu and Starmie. My Charmander, Zubat, and Pidgeotto also joined the fight, together with Ash’s Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Brock’s Geodude. When a swarm of Butterfree attacked a group of Team Rocket thugs with Confusion and Stun Spore, my Butterfree helped out.

“Now it’s my turn. Go Butterfree!” Wanting to help out the Butterfree, Ash threw what he thought was Butterfree’s Poké Ball. However, Raticate came out instead. “What?”

“Ash, you traded Butterfree for Raticate. Remember?” I reminded him.

“Oh yeah.” That left Ash with a blank face as he watched the Butterfree swarm. The look on his face told me that he deeply missed his Pokémon. He then sternly glared at his hands. “I raised Butterfree all by myself. I have to get Butterfree back!”

Suddenly, another Team Rocket grunt attacked Ash. “Hand over the Pokémon!” he demanded.

Ash ignored him completely. “Pidgeotto go! Give them Gust!” His Pidgeotto began summoning a powerful tornado.

I called out to my own bird Pokémon. “Pidgeotto, help out Ash’s Pidgeotto!” She flew off and began flapping her wings with all the strength she could muster. Several more Pidgeotto joined in. Soon, all the bird Pokémon had summoned the biggest tornado any of us had ever seen, sending a good portion of Team Rocket blasting off. Luxio and our two Pikachu worked with all the other Pikachu to deliver the finishing Thunder Bolt.

Just like that, everyone worked together to get rid of Team Rocket for good. All the trainers cheered.

“I think we all should be very proud of our Pokémon, and we taught Team Rocket a lesson they’ll never forget,” I said to the crowd of Pokémon Trainers. They all agreed, thanking each other for the excellent teamwork and great battle.

However, in the midst of the battle, the ship sailed directly into a storm. Strong waves tossed around the ship like a ball. “Ah! Those waves are getting...pretty rough,” I muttered as I recalled everyone but Pikachu and Luxio to their Poké Balls. My stomach did backflips, making me feel a little queasy.

“Hey Rosa!” Ash said. Without warning, he grabbed my arm. “Come with me!”

He dragged me along behind him. “Where are we going?!”

“We’re going to get back Butterfree!”

I realized that Ash must’ve decided on going back on the trade, considering how much he loved his Pokémon.

We found the old man, the original owner of Raticate. I held Luxio and both Pikachu in my arms while Ash explained the situation. “So, you want to go back on our trade?” asked the old man.

Ash deeply bowed his head. “Butterfree was the first Pokémon I ever captured. I worked very hard training and raising it. Please! Can I have it back?” Ash begged.

The old man smiled. “You leave me no choice.”

“I’m sorry.” They began to execute the reverse trade.

Just then Misty and Brock burst into the room. “Come on, you guys! We have to go! The ship is sinking!” Misty yelled.

“Hold on!” The trade just finished, allowing Ash to grab his Poké Ball. “Butterfree, please forgive me.” However, another powerful wave rocked the ship, causing Ash to drop the ball. “No, come back, Butterfree!” He chased after it.

“Ash!” Misty, Brock, and I all screamed, following him as the ship threw Butterfree’s ball all over the place.

Ash eventually managed to grab Butterfree’s Poké Ball. However, the ship rocked once again, throwing myself and all my friends straight into another room. I slammed into a wall, and everything went dark...


	11. Pokémon Shipwreck

When I came to my senses, I heard voices. “Hey, Rosa, wake up! Wake up, please!” It was a girl’s voice, and several Pokémon too.

I opened my eyes to find Misty, Luxio, and two Pikachu leaning over me. “Misty?” I said.

“Oh thank goodness.” She helped me sit up.

Hugging my Pokémon, I looked around the room. “Where are we?”

“Take a look.” She pointed at the porthole.

I gazed outside and found fish swimming. “What? How can fish be swimming?” I looked at the floor and jumped back, discovering a light fixture beneath my feet. “Are we in the St. Anne?!”

“Yep, and it looks like it sunk.”

“Sunk?!” Ash sprung up beside us, dashing over to look for himself. “How could this be?”

“That wave must’ve knocked us all unconscious, and then the ship capsized,” Brock said, struggling to his feet.

Everyone ran out into the hall, noticing that everything turned upside down. We headed out into the stairwell. The water level prevented us from going down to the deck. “What do we do? The ship’s leaking everywhere,” Ash said.

Misty replied, “We’ve got to stay calm. As long as there’s air in here, it’ll take time for it to fill up with water.”

“Sure, but we better not waste any time here,” Brock noted.

“Well, we can either go up or down,” I said. “If we’re sinking, up would definitely be better, but if the ship is flipped upside down…”

Misty continued, “The deck is below us, and the ship’s body is up above our heads.”

“So we have to dive down to the deck!” Ash suggested.

“But if we dive down to the deck and come across a dead end, we’re done for,” I squeaked, panicking at the thought of hitting a locked door.

Ash frowned at the thought. “Then how are we supposed to know?”

“Water’s my specialty,” Misty replied. She took out a Poké Ball and called out a beautiful Goldeen. “Please dive down to the deck, Goldeen. If you find a way off the ship, bring something back from outside.” It nodded its head and then disappeared underwater. We were left to wait.

Our group waited there for a few short moments. Those short moments turned into long ones. “What’s taking Goldeen so long?” Ash asked.

“Maybe it’s having trouble finding a way out. This is a big ship after all,” I replied.

Suddenly, a shadow appeared in the water, and then a single blue head. Everyone screamed in terror. Goldeen then came into view as it pushed three bodies, who were all blue in the face from nearly drowning, up onto the deck. It was the man, woman, and talking Meowth from earlier. “It’s Jessie, James, and Meowth,” Brock said.

“Do you know these guys?” I asked.

“They’re always trying to steal my Pikachu,” Ash replied.

Just then the trio all spat out water from their mouths. “Prepare for trouble,” said Jessie.

“Yes, and make...make it double,” coughed out James through lungfuls of water.

They looked up at us, recognizing everyone but myself. “Twerps!” The trio popped up onto their feet and grabbed a couple Poké Balls.

“We’ve got you right where we want you,” Jessie laughed.

“Who’s the new twerpette?” Meowth asked.

“Ah, who cares? We’ll just get her Pokémon too!”

“So you followed us all the way to the bottom of the sea!” Brock snapped.

“Ekans! Koffing! Go!” Jessie and James called out two Pokémon to battle, a purple snake and a floating purple ball that spat out smoke clouds.

“Here we go!” Ash and Brock sent out a Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, and Geodude.

Before anyone could launch an attack, the ship began to tip, sending everyone sliding down the hallway. We all crashed into a wall. “The ship will flip over if we don’t do something quick!” Misty yelled.

Ash called out, “Charmander, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Ekans, Koffing, Geodude, and Luxio, go to the other side now!” Every Pokémon except for the two Pikachu and Meowth ran to the other side of the hall. That only caused the ship to tilt the other way.

After sliding back and forth several times, I had enough of it. “You guys, call back all your Pokémon!” I barked to Jessie, James, Ash, and Brock.

“But Team Rocket will beat us if we call back our Pokémon,” Ash said.

“He’s right,” Brock added.

“We can’t worry about that right now. We’ve got worse troubles!” Remembering our current situation, Ash and Brock recalled their Pokémon as ordered. I looked over at Team Rocket. “Call your Pokémon back too, or I’ll throw you into the water!”

“Yes, ma’am!” Jessie and James squeaked, recalling Ekans and Koffing.

The ship immediately leveled out, giving us the chance to stand up again. Misty stood at the head of the group. “Okay then, we all agree that there won’t be any battles for now. Let’s work together!” Misty suggested.

“Uh, Misty, I don’t think that’ll work,” I said.

Ash, Brock, and Ash’s Pikachu growled at Jessie, James, and Meowth.

“Come on now. Shake hands!” Misty and I barked.

“This is a truce. It’s not like we’re making up,” Jessie said.

“I know that,” Ash mumbled.

James and Brock stood silently, looking ready to have an arm wrestling match.

Meowth and Pikachu shook hands, but then Pikachu used Thunder Shock to fry the cat.

“Pikachu!” I barked. Ash’s Pikachu looked immediately guilty.

“All right, we’ll cooperate,” Jessie said.

“What should we do to escape?” Ash asked.

“Leave it to me!” Misty cheered. “A long time ago, I built the St. Anne.” We all gazed at her in awe. “But it was only a model.” We all frowned, no longer amazed. “But I know the interior’s layout. If the way out through the deck is cut off, then we need to go up and cut a hole into the ship’s hull to escape.”

“Go up?” James repeated.

“There are some stairs on the ceiling over there,” I said, pointing down the hall. A stairway sat on the ceiling, going up into the bottom of the ship.

“Onix, form some stairs!” Brock called out his Onix, who used its rocky body to make a staircase up to the next level. “All right, let’s go!”

Ash and Brock climbed up Onix, closely followed by our Pikachu and Misty. I looked over at Team Rocket. “Aren’t you guys coming?” I asked.

The trio replied, “Right!” and climbed up to the next level. Once Luxio and I got up, Brock recalled Onix.

Racing down the hallway together, we reached a section where the power cut out. “I can’t see anything,” Meowth growled.

“All right, leave it to me,” I said, sending out Charmander. Her tail flame illuminated the hallway as we proceeded. “When we get through here, where will we end up?”

Misty replied, “If we keep going straight, we’ll reach the engine room. In there, the metal plating might be the thinnest. We can break through that somehow and escape.”

Stepping into an adjacent room, we all came upon a terrible sight. A stairwell used to cross to the engine room broke at some point during the ship sinking. Way below us, a fire broke out on the floor. The flames tried reaching up to lick the small platform where we stood.

“It’s no good. We can’t get to the engine room like this!” Brock cried out, wondering how we could get across to the other doorway safely.

“Jessie,” James said. I glanced back to see him holding hands with his partner.

“Yes, James?”

“ _ The beautiful die young. _ Those words were meant for us, weren’t they?”

They tearfully gave each other a big hug. “I won’t forget about you.”

“Me neither.”

I got furious. “What the hell are you two doing?!” I hissed. “There’s sure to be a way out of here. I’m not dying in a place like this!”

“Darn it!” Ash cursed. He held a hand out to his Pikachu. “Give me a jolt.” Pikachu happily obliged and took Ash’s hand, giving him a small zap. Not a moment later, Ash made a fist and smiled. “Pikachu, that’s it!” He called out a Bulbasaur. “Bulbasaur use Vine Whip and extend the vines all the way across.” Bulbasaur sent out two vines from its bulb, reaching all the way to the open doorway on the other side. “All right!”

His creativity impressed me. “Good thinking, Ash!”

“Let’s go, everyone!” Misty and I went across first, stepping nice and slow. Falling into the pit of fire below sounded not so fun. Luxio and the Pikachu followed, then Ash and Brock right after.

Before I knew it, everyone safely crossed to the other side. Ash recalled Bulbasaur to get him across too. “What about Team Rocket?” I asked.

“Oh, right,” Brock groaned.

The trio stood back on the platform, unaware of our movement to the other side. “Hey, Team Rocket, are you still there?” Misty asked.

Realizing their position, the color left their faces. “Don’t abandon us!” they screamed.

Ash used Bulbasaur once more, safely getting Team Rocket over to us. They seemed grateful about it anyways, and collapsed once we finally reached the engine room. “For a moment, I thought it was all over back there!” James sighed.

“Now I know what a toasted marshmallow feels like,” Meowth said.

“Well, come on. Let’s hurry,” Misty said. “We need to cut a hole in the ceiling. The best way to do that is with some firepower.”

“Right! I’ll use Charmander again,” I replied.

“I can help too!” Ash called, calling out a Charmander of his own.

“Great!” I sent out my orange lizard and knelt down beside them. “Listen up. We need you both to use your fire to weld open the metal plates in the ceiling.” They both nodded their heads. As a team, they launched powerful Flamethrower attacks, focusing their fire on a single point in the ceiling. We watched the burnt hole get progressively bigger.

“All right! Listen up, everyone,” Misty said. “We all need to grab a water Pokémon and swim to the surface as fast as possible.”

“I’ve got Squirtle,” Ash replied.

I said, “My Wartortle will be good.”

“And Brock, you can use Starmie,” Misty said, calling out her two starfish. 

“Wait a minute! What are we supposed to do?” Jessie yelled.

“Just grab a Water-type Pokémon,” I replied, sending out Wartortle.

“A Water-type?!” Meowth repeated.

“They’re almost through!” Ash announced.

Just as he said that, the two Charmander finished torching a hole in the ceiling. The metal plating burst open, and a funnel of water came crashing into the room. Our fire lizards dashed away before their tails got soaked.

I recalled my Charmander. Then I looked at Luxio and my Pikachu. “It’s up to you guys if you want to stay outside or go into the Poké Balls. What’s it going to be?” They both looked at each other and clung to Wartortle. “Okay! Just hang on tight!” Taking extra precautions, I used some rope to tie us all together, and then made sure my bag closed up tight.  _ Good thing Volt thought ahead and got me a waterproof one... _

Misty headed up through the hole in the ceiling with her Staryu, followed by Ash, his Pikachu, and Brock. I looked back at Jessie, James, and Meowth. “Team Rocket, follow us!” I yelled before Wartortle pulled everyone through the hole.

The second I left the boat, my lungs got painfully caught in a vice grip. I slapped a hand over my mouth to resist opening it. Wartortle felt me struggle and hurriedly swam for the surface. Misty, Brock, and Ash swam at my side, clinging to their Pokémon for dear life. The light steadily got closer, and so did my limit for keeping that one breath of air in my tiny body.

Just as I couldn’t hold it in any longer, my head popped up above the water. I gasped for air and looked around, one arm slung over Wartortle’s back. Luxio and Pikachu sat on our heads. “I think… we made it,” I coughed.

Luxio pointed out a drifting platform nearby.

“Oh… Great find, Luxio... Let’s go, Wartortle...” He dragged us over to the driftwood. I scrambled up onto it with my Pokémon, untying the rope keeping us all together.

Resurfacing quickly, Ash, Brock, and Misty all followed my lead. We sat for a few minutes to catch our breath, exhausted after fighting against the underwater pressure. While doing so, I noticed our group lacking a few heads. “Hey, where’s Team Rocket?” I asked.

Everyone exchanged the same looks, gazing back at the water.

“They’re not anywhere,” Ash muttered.

“And it doesn’t look like they’re coming up,” Misty added.

“I wonder if they couldn’t get out before the boat fell deeper,” I said, remembering the boat tip off a rocky shelf and fall into the cavern below.

“Well, I’m worried about Team Rocket, but look at our situation,” Brock said. “It’s nothing but ocean no matter where you look.”

“Which way should we go?” Ash asked.

“Long ago, someone named Noah had a bird come back holding a twig in its mouth, and he seemed to find land that way.”

“I see. Then let’s try it.” Ash called out his Pidgeotto. “Go and look for land. If you find any, bring us back a twig or something for proof.” It cawed before flying away. “I’m counting on you!”

Several minutes later, Pidgeotto returned. It didn’t bring us back a twig though. Instead, it hauled over three drowned bodies tied to a Magikarp. We tugged all four onto the platform, identifying them as Team Rocket. “They didn’t make it after all,” I frowned.

“Like this, even they’re pitiable,” Ash noted.

“Being that they died at sea, it’s at least proper to bury them in it,” Brock said.

We all lowered our heads. “You’re right. Though they were enemies, may they find peace after death,” Misty said.

We tried pushing the Team Rocket trio into the water.

At the last second, they sprung to life. “Zombies!” I screamed alongside the others.

“What are you trying to do?” Jessie asked.

“We’re not zombies!” James barked.

I saw Ash’s Pikachu snap his fingers, looking a little disappointed that the trio didn’t really die. “That’s a little much,” I muttered with a frown.

So we were left to drift silently together for the rest of the day. Without much to eat, and nothing to do, we left it up to our flying Pokémon to find land for us. Our Pidgeotto handled the daytime scouting mission, and Zubat flew at night. Of course, they eventually got tired and needed to rest. That was about the only thing to do, actually. Sleep!

That night, I entertained myself by staring up at the sky, identifying Pokémon constellations in the purple and blue void. “I wonder what Paul’s doing,” I muttered. “I’m at least glad that he didn’t come with us.” Lying at my side, Luxio and Pikachu agreed with nods. I proceeded to stargaze until I fell asleep once more.

The next morning, everyone sat in a circle and stared at the flopping Magikarp in front of us. “I’m so hungry,” Ash groaned.

“I wonder how many meals we had to skip already,” Brock said.

“If things were going to turn out like this, I would’ve stuffed my face back on the ship!” I shouted.

“I’m starving,” James muttered, actually crying.

“Don’t cry!” Jessie barked.

“Yeah. Crying will only make you more hungry,” Meowth said.

Looking at Magikarp, Ash and Brock started drooling. “I want to eat sliced carp,” Ash moaned.

“Or carp miso soup,” Brock suggested.

Ash, Brock, Jessie, James, and Meowth inched closer and closer to Magikarp.

“Uh oh, should we stop them?” I muttered.

“They’ll find out one way or another,” Misty grumbled, folding her arms.

Suddenly Meowth shouted, “I can’t stand it anymore!” and attacked Magikarp, biting down on its scales. However, he sadly watched all his teeth turn to dust. “My teeth! What the heck?”

“You shouldn’t try that again. Magikarp is nothing but skin, bones, and scales,” Misty snapped.

“You could have said that sooner!”

James shook with rage. “Above doing nothing but splash around, you can’t even eat it!”

“That’s why I said you were scammed!” Jessie said.

“I’m not your master anymore! Go elsewhere!” James stood up and kicked Magikarp, sending it into the water.

We watched Magikarp helplessly flail about. “I feel bad for it. You could’ve at least released it like a normal Trainer,” I said.

“It doesn’t deserve my kindness! Not after being so pathetic!” He then took a Poké Ball and broke it in half, tossing the pieces into the water. “There!”

“Hey, Magikarp’s glowing,” Misty said.

Just as she said, Magikarp glowed a bright light. It drastically changed shape, turning into a giant blue serpentine Pokémon that towered above us. Once done evolving, it glared down at us with one of the scariest faces that could ever be found on a Pokémon.

“What is that?!” James shrieked.

“Oh now you’ve done it! Magikarp just evolved into Gyarados!” I barked.

“It looks really powerful,” Jessie said, gulping.

Ash looked up Gyarados on the Pokédex, “ _ Gyarados the Atrocious Pokémon. This Pokémon has a vicious temperament, so use extreme caution. Its fangs can crush stones and its scales are harder than steel. It is capable of destroying entire cities when enraged, especially in harsh storms. _ ”

James patted his chest. “I’m your master. Listen to my voice.” However, Gyarados roared at James, making him recoil in fear.

“You moron! You broke its Poké Ball!” Jessie hissed.

“But…”

“And it looks a little offended,” Ash muttered.

“Luxio, Pikachu, try a Thunder Bolt!” I yelled. Knowing nobody else touched the water, my two Pokémon jumped up and scored a direct hit on Gyarados.

However, Gyarados simply shook off the attack and continued to roar. “What? It didn’t seem to do anything!” Brock gasped. “That should’ve done lots of damage too.”

“Let’s see if it did! Go Poké Ball!” I chucked the Poké Ball at Gyarados. Rather than it hitting, the angered Pokémon slapped the ball with its huge tail, shattering it into a million tiny pieces. My jaw hit the floor. “What the hell?!”

“Goldeen, Starmie, Staryu!” Misty called out plenty of water Pokémon, requesting that I send out Wartortle as well.

“Are you planning to fight too?” Brock asked.

“Heh, of course we’re running!” Misty screamed. She quickly fastened the drifting platform to our Pokémon using rope. Then, all at once, they took off, pulling us all along. We used pieces of driftwood as oars to speed along the process.

Unfortunately, Gyarados kept up a speedy chase, making our getaway rather difficult.

“It’s no use!” Jessie and James screamed.

Thanks to some miracle, Gyarados stopped chasing us. It came to a halt and started roaring at the sky. “What’s it doing?” Ash asked.

“Could it be tired? It did just evolve, and after that combined Thunder Bolt,” Brock said.

“We’re saved!” Jessie and James cheered.

“It couldn’t be…” Misty said. We all looked at her.

“What’s wrong, Misty?” I asked.

“I’ve heard rumors about Gyarados. Could this possibly be… D-Dragon Rage?”

Everyone repeated, “Dragon Rage?” as the color left our faces.

“If it is Dragon Rage, then we have to stop this now!” I barked, pulling out another Poké Ball to give it a second try. I pulled my arm back and chucked the Poké Ball, scoring a direct hit to Gyarados’s head. It went inside. The ball landed in the water, and Wartortle retrieved it. The ball never shook in my hands, meaning that the catch already succeeded. I couldn’t believe my eyes. “That actually worked?”

“How can we ever thank you?” Jessie and James said, patting my shoulders.

“Unfortunately, you only stopped  _ that _ Gyarados,” Misty said. She pointed up ahead.

The waves got higher and higher around us. Storm clouds rolled in over our heads. Then a good five or so Gyarados appeared right before our eyes. There wasn’t any possible way I’d be battling and catching all of them. “We’re done for!” James screamed.

Suddenly, the Gyarados grouped together and started swimming in a circle. I felt Luxio and Pikachu shakily cling to my legs. “Wh-What’s that?” Ash asked.

“Dragon Rage is a finishing move for a group of Gyarados,” I said, gulping loudly.

A watery vortex rose up around the Gyarados, cutting straight through the clouds. The vortex barreled right towards us. “It’s coming! Let’s get away!” Brock yelled.

“It’s no use! Nobody can run away from Dragon Rage!” Misty replied.

“No way!” Ash gasped.

“It’s coming too fast!” I screamed, recalling Wartortle, Luxio, and Pikachu to their Poké Balls without hesitation.

The swirling vortex ripped our platform to shreds, easily pulling everyone up into the air like paper bags. My friends and I hurtled through the air. The violent wind gusts knocked me out cold.


	12. Island of the Giant Pokémon

When I came to my senses, the sun greeted me first. Sunlight poked through my eyelids, forcing me to open them. Then, I felt the air around me: hot, humid, untainted by civilization. I clenched my fists around soft sand and forced myself up. “An...island?”

Licking the salt from my lips, I took a shaky breath, looking around to see where I washed ashore. Palm trees circled around me, steadily leading into a thick jungle. Rocks dotted the sand, and waves rolled up the shore, nearly touching my toes several times. “Tropical, great. Completely deserted, not so great.” I coughed when my dry voice escaped my lips, warning me to drink water. “Man, exactly how long have we been out?”

It took me a second to realize that I received no response to my question.

My head turned left and right, scanning the beach around me. No sign of human life anywhere. “Where’d everyone go?” With the harsh sun beating on my face, I carefully rose to my feet. I nearly fell over a few times from the pain in my knee, looking down to find a large bruise. “That’s just great.” Still, I forced myself to move forward.

Trudging across the sand, I brought my hands to my lips. “Ash? Misty? Brock?”

Still, no response, and no sign of them.

I stopped and looked around. “I hope they at least landed on the same island. If not, this is going to be a pain. Luxio, could you come out and help with your excellent hear—” When I reached for my belt, I found only a single Poké Ball attached to it. “Eh...?”

Last time I remembered seeing my belt, three Poké Balls sat there instead of one; the rest of the team I stowed in my bag after catching Gyarados. “So there should be three, but there’s only one…?”

Hurrying back to the spot where I woke up, I shuffled around in the sand, hoping to uncover the other two Poké Balls. “Why would I be that lucky?” I sat back and let out a disappointed sigh, drooping my head.

The single remaining Poké Ball glared at me, the red coloring slowly becoming painful to the eye. “It’s definitely not Luxio. Actually, I can’t even remember whether it’s Pikachu or Wartortle.”

Without hesitation, I chucked the ball. My blue turtle popped out, rubbing his head like he just got off the Gravitron. “Wartortle!” I rushed over to his side, squeezing him tight. “Are you alright, Wartortle? You didn’t get injured, right?”

Other than an obvious headache, he made a weak smile.

“Yeah. We have seen better days.”

He then asked about my condition.

“My leg’s a little bruised, but otherwise, I’m fine. I thankfully landed on the sand, on my ba—Ah! Crap, I landed on my back, huh?!”

Remembering the bag glued to my back, I ripped it off and frantically shuffled through its contents. “Please don't be broken! Please don't… Oh... Phew, thank goodness!” My fossil still sat at the bottom of the bag, tightly bundled and in one piece.

Wartortle stepped over for a closer look, wondering what I freaked out about.

“Oh, right. This rock is a Pokémon Fossil. It's said to contain the DNA of a Pokémon that’s been extinct for millions of years. Long story short, a scientist gave it to me. I’m supposed to bring it to a lab where supposedly they can bring the Pokémon back to life.” He gasped in surprise. “I know. Cool, right? I’ll better explain the details later. Right now, let’s focus on finding the others and getting off this island.” He nodded his head.

Taking a moment, I quickly rearranged my bag, first stuffing my jacket at the bottom of the bag to better cushion the fossil. “Not like I’ll need it on a tropical island anyways.”

Wartortle helped me collect the five occupied Poké Balls. I summoned everyone to do a quick headcount. Butterfree, Charmander, Zubat, and Pidgeotto all stood in a line. “Plus Wartortle, that’s five Pokémon. Six with this guy.” I timidly stared at the sixth Poké Ball. “I hope I don’t regret doing this.” I tossed the Poké Ball.

The minute Gyarados emerged, he fired off a massive beam of energy from his mouth. I narrowly avoided being obliterated, unlike the trees to my immediate left. I faced my Pokémon and raised my hands. “Gyarados, it’s alright! I’m sorry we attacked you before! You can stop attacking!”

Ignoring me, Gyarados fired off another attack. The sheer power knocked me off my feet. “Dex, please tell me you know what that move was!”

“ _ Hyper Beam, an extremely powerful move. It contains so much power that the Pokémon who uses it must rest for a while afterwards. _ ”

I froze. “That powerful...?” When Gyarados roared again, I quickly called him back into the Poké Ball. A bit shaky, I then collapsed on the sand. “Okay, let’s try some other time…”

The rest of my Pokémon gazed at me, hoping I didn’t try that ever again. “Sorry! Well, why don’t you guys get some rest for now?” I recalled everyone except Wartortle, who insisted on staying outside. “Fine. Just stay close. I don’t want to lose anyone else today.”

Wartortle looked around the beach.

I tapped a hand to my chin. “Let’s see. Luxio and Pikachu are the only ones gone from the team. Ash and his crew are missing too, of course, but to be perfectly honest, I’d love to find my Pokémon before anything. So, where to start?”

It was silent for a while, trying to come up with a plan. Unfortunately, many questions circled my head, one more concerning than the rest. “Man, I don’t even know if we all landed on the same island or not! Did they?!”

Suddenly, Wartortle tugged on my skirt. “Hmm? Did you find something?” He pointed off towards the water. A medium-sized pink Pokémon sat on a rock nearby, dipping its tail into the water. “Good eye, Wartortle! Maybe it can help us out. You think you can ask?” Wartortle jogged over to the Pokémon. “What is it though?”

From in my bag, Dex answered the call. “ _ Slowpoke the Dopey Pokémon. Incredibly slow and sluggish, this Pokémon remains in a daze even when fishing with its tail, rather pleasant to chew on but not very nutritious. If something bites its tail, it won’t even notice for a whole day. _ ”

I frowned. “What a Pokémon…”

Wartortle approached Slowpoke and greeted it with a friendly smile.

However, Slowpoke didn’t respond.

Taking a second chance, Wartortle said hello again.

Slowpoke still didn’t respond. It didn’t move, speak, even turn its head to acknowledge his presence. It just sat there and remained in a daze, exactly like the Pokédex explained.

Getting desperate, I called, “Excuse me, Slowpoke!” When it didn’t respond, I went over and crouched down, waving a hand in its face. “Hello? Can you even hear us?” Even though it had very large ears, Slowpoke still didn’t reply. “I guess we chose the wrong Pokémon to ask for directions…”

I stepped away and turned to the rest of the island. “Let’s just keep walking. Hopefully we’ll find someone.”

As we strolled along the beach, a gentle breeze flowed past us. Wartortle liked the feeling of his fluffy ears and tail being caught in the wind. He stepped over to the shoreline and danced in the water, a big smile appearing on his face. I smiled back, removing my shoes to dip my toes into the water. “It is nice here, I a—COLD!!”

Wartortle laughed at me before continuing.

“Ha ha, very funny. I can’t adjust to it as quickly as you can, you know—”

He suddenly made a loud yelp.

“What’s wrong?!”

Dismissing my worry, Wartortle pointed towards some nearby trees. A body lay face-down in the sand.

I recognized his spiky, black hair easily. “Ah! No way! It’s Ash!” We rushed over to Ash’s side, where I anxiously shook his shoulder. “Hey, are you all right, Ash?! Come on! Wake up!”

It started as breathing being his only movement. Slowly, though, he stirred, twitching his fingers. “What… what is it?”

Hearing his voice let me relax. “Oh good. You’re fine.”

He struggled to sit up, and I gave him some space. “Ro… Rosa? Where… are we?”

“Not sure yet. A deserted island from the looks of it, but don’t ask me how we got here. I still wonder how we survived that cyclone.”

“We must’ve been lucky, but I don’t see Misty or Brock anywhere…”

“Nope. Luxio and Pikachu are missing too...”

“Luxio and… Pikachu?!” He shot up onto all fours, looking around. “Pikachu! Where’s Pikachu?! Not just yours! My Pikachu’s gone too—Ow!” He slapped a hand to his forehead.

I gently put my hand on his shoulder. “Hey, take it easy! You might’ve hit your head when you landed!”

“Yeah, I think I did… Oh no!” Glancing down, he also lacked Poké Balls on his belt. “Not just Pikachu! I only have two Poké Balls!”

“Oh no! Who’s all missing?”

“Er… Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander it looks like.”

I frowned, exchanging looks with Wartortle. “This day just keeps getting worse and worse. Okay, we’ll add them to the list. Let’s just get going, Ash. We have to find everyone as quickly as we can.”

“Right.” Ash checked over his bag and put on his hat.

I looked at my Pokémon. “Why don’t you go inside now?” He immediately voiced his opinion on that one. “I know you want to help search, and I really appreciate it. I just want you to get a little rest first. That’s all. Plus, who knows who or what we’ll run into here?” Wartortle made a frown before letting himself into his Poké Ball. I rubbed my cheek against it. “Thank you, Wartortle.”

Ash stood up beside me. “Hopefully, none of our Pokémon got split up like we did.”

“I sure hope not.” We headed off into the thick jungle.

★

It was long past sunset before I snapped out of a trance. We walked all through the night without a single sign of our friends, neither Pokémon nor people. Ash and I paused when my Pidgeotto finally returned from a scouting mission. Judging by the look on her face, “You didn’t find them, did you?”

She looked upset and apologized.

“It’s alright, Pidgeotto. This isn’t your fault, and you searched your hardest. Go ahead and take a rest in the ball now.” I recalled my Pokémon.

“Man, where did our Pokémon end up?” Ash groaned.

I made a pouty face. “I’m so worried. And this island isn’t helping. They could literally be anywhere!” My hands yanked on my long locks, and I felt my sanity fading fast.

“Maybe they all got eaten by wild Pokémon…?” Ash muttered.

I nearly smacked him. “Why would you even joke about something like that?!”

He grinned. “Sorry.”

I looked at the ground. “But, what if the Pokémon think we abandoned them? I mean, we all got torn apart by accident. It’s not like we wanted that to happen, but the Pokémon may or may not understand that.”

Ash stepped in front of me. “Come on, Rosa. Don’t start acting all gloom-and-doom about it now. The Pokémon know that’s not even a possibility. I know I’d never ever abandon them, in a million years! Don’t you feel the same?”

Taking a breath, I looked at him and smiled. “Sorry. You’re right, Ash. I’m worrying for no reason. I’d never ever abandon my Pokémon either. Luxio of all Pokémon should know that, so if the others start doubting, he can talk some sense into them.”

“You and Luxio are really close, aren’t you? More than just a Trainer and first Pokémon.”

“I’ve known Luxio practically my entire life. My brother gave him to me before I could even walk. We grew up together, and did everything possible together. You couldn’t separate the two of us with a crowbar.”

“You have a brother?”

I nodded. “His name is Volkner. He’s a really powerful Pokémon Trainer who uses Electric-types. Actually, he’s a Gym Leader in my hometown, and a really popular one.”

“A Gym Leader?! That’s incredible! Does that mean you’re a Gym Leader too?”

“Well, not officially. I’ve never been old enough to be a Gym Leader, until now. I suppose whenever I return home though I could fight as a substitute Gym Leader, like if Volkner gets sick or something. It is the  _ family _ Gym...”

He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t seem very thrilled about that.”

I nervously waved my hands. “Oh no, it’s not that I wouldn’t be excited. Being a Gym Leader sounds like a lot of fun. It’s just, it’s not my goal to become one.”

“Well, what is your goal?”

Without hesitation, I replied, “I want to become the Pokémon World Champion!”

“Pokémon World Champion?”

“It’s something I made up myself. Basically the strongest trainer in the world, the PWC is someone who can beat all current Regional Champions in full six-on-six battles. I always thought a person like that deserved a title worthy of the deed.”

“Well, you’d definitely need to be pretty powerful. All of the champions in a row?”

“No, not in a row. That’d be almost impossible. There are so many different Pokémon regions, and everyone has conflicting schedules. I just want to beat each one before someone new takes their place.

“This is how I figured it out. If you defeat a Regional Champion, your name is put onto a special regional plaque forever, right? Well, nobody in the history of Pokémon has ever gotten their name onto every regional plaque in the world. They’ve talked about it though, saying a person like that would need to be exceptionally strong.”

“So you plan to be that person?”

I clenched my fists. “Exactly! I want to be the first, and quite literally the very best. That’s been my dream for years now. You can imagine how excited I was when the day came to start my journey, and so...” I paused. Ash gazed at me with a big smile, making me nervous. “What’s wrong? You’re looking at me funny…”

After a moment, he replied, “You’re pretty amazing, Rosa.”

I didn’t expect to hear that. My face burst into flames. “Thank… Thank you, Ash… I don’t think anyone’s ever said that before—”

All of a sudden, we felt a tremor in the ground. It nearly knocked me off my feet. Then, just over the treetops, a gigantic creature appeared. It had glowing red eyes and a big horn on its forehead, a grey body glimmering under the moonlight. “Is that a...Pokémon?”

“Dex, what you got on it?!” I yelped, slowly stepping back.

Dex replied with, “ _ No Pokémon found. No data. _ ”

“No data?! There’s a Pokémon right there!” The Pokémon roared so loud my eardrums nearly burst. Then it started towards us. “And it’s the size of Godzilla!”

“I feel like I’ve seen that Pokémon before,” Ash noted. “Maybe it’s—”

Not wanting to be turned into a pancake, I tugged his arm. “We’re not going to stay and play  _ 20 Questions _ with it! Come on!” We ran away.

Running away from the giant grey Pokémon, Ash skidded to a sudden halt, and I crashed into him. “What’s wrong? Why did you sto—”

He put a hand over my mouth. “Look… Over there…”

To my horror, a giant yellow bird stood up in the distance. It cawed loudly before lifting into the sky. A single flap of its wings nearly blew us into a tree. Then, even worse, the Pokémon somehow sensed our presence and turned in our direction. Ash and I bolted through the trees.

Chasing after us, the giant bird lit up the night sky with a Thunder Bolt. Ash and I found a cluster of trees and dove underneath them for shelter. We shielded our heads as the bird flew right past us. It continued on into the night, never turning around.

“So there really are more...on the island,” I panted, gasping for air.

“I’ve never seen a flying Pokémon like that before.”

“Me neither. It’s one of the most incredible Pokémon I’ve ever seen.” I looked over at him. “Ash, this place is extremely dangerous, and now it’s too dark to see. We should find a safe spot to crash for the night.”

He nodded. “Yeah, sounds good.”

We found a tiny cave hidden away in the side of a mountain. My Charmander helped start a fire. “Thank you, Charmander.” I patted her head before sending out Zubat to go on a night scouting mission. “If you see any giant Pokémon, don’t hesitate to come right back.” She nodded and flew off.

Ash sat back by the fire, removing his jacket, bag, and hat. “Man, I’m starving.” We both heard his stomach protest.

Rummaging through my bag, I found a bundle of snacks neatly stashed away. “Here.”

His eyes lit up when he saw the small parcel. “You have food?!”

“It’s not much.” I showed him the package’s contents.

A big smile appeared on his face. “Rice balls!!” There were four total, so I split them evenly, plus two apples. Ash seemed to really like the rice balls. “These are delicious! Did you make them yourself?”

Nodding, I looked away. “Sorry I hid them back when we got stranded. I just wanted to save these for a crucial do-or-die moment. We were only out on the water for a day, honestly.”

Ash suddenly looked guilty. “Hold on. If you put that much effort into keeping these for an emergency situation, are you sure they’re okay for me to just eat?”

I waved a hand at him. “Of course. Please do. They were about to go bad anyways, and there’s no way I’m eating them by myself. It should be enough for two people stranded on an island like ourselves.”

“Two people? Oh yeah! You said earlier that you traveled around with someone, just before you got on the St. Anne. Is that when you made these?”

“Yep...”

“Wow. Your friend must be someone special.”

I nearly choked on the rice. “Well… not totally special... I mean, I’ve only known him for a couple weeks now. Plus, we don’t really see each other all that much. He’s always on the move, and I just can’t seem to keep up with him.”

“Well, you don’t seem like the kind of person to make good food for just anyone.”

“Really? I mean, we don’t even get along very well. Now that I think about it, we fight a lot over the littlest things. Sometimes I think we wouldn’t last five minutes in the same room.” I gazed at the ground, thinking of all the exchanges I’ve had with Paul and feeling a little sad.

“You know, Misty and I fight a whole lot.”

“Huh?” I glanced up at him.

“It’s true. I don’t think a day’s gone by that we haven’t argued, ever since Pikachu destroyed her bike on that first day we met. We bicker constantly, and she gets on my nerves all the time. Needless to say though, she’s still a part of the group. Brock too. We all have our bad moments, sure, but nothing so bad that I can’t stand to be around them anymore.

“To be completely honest, I’ve had plenty of fun days with them. I’ll always remember the Gym battles with Brock and Misty both. They’re excellent Trainers, and they both love Pokémon so much, just like me.”

“So, even if you fight, you still somehow have a lot of fun with each other?”

He happily nodded. “Hey, like I said, if you’re willing to make food for someone, how bad can they really be?”

I laughed. “Especially if they have Pokémon with them.”

“See? That’s the spiri—Ahhhh…” He suddenly let out a big yawn, stretching his arms wide. “Man, that rice really hit me hard.”

“It’s called a food coma,” I then noted the black sky peeking into the cave, “though it is really late.” I stood up and stretched too. “Well, why don’t you get some rest now? We’ve got a busy day tomorrow after all.” I headed over to the mouth of the cave.

“What about you?”

“I want to wait for Zubat to get back. Don’t worry. Just get some sleep.”

Nodding his head, Ash sprawled back on the ground, using his backpack as a pillow. He fell asleep in a matter of seconds, snoring like a grandpa.

I sat out on the edge of the cave, dangling my feet. A patch of grass sat just a bit below me, close enough I could jump straight down without hurting myself. We actually scaled a short cliff to reach this cave.

“I wonder what the others are doing right now,” I muttered.

Wartortle popped out of his Poké Ball.

“What are you doing out?”

He grumbled and rubbed his eyes.

“Worried about Luxio and Pikachu too, huh? I understand.”

Wartortle cuddled up to me.

We gazed up at the stars together. “I hope they’re watching this same sky. With the lack of buildings, you can really see everything, and it’s gorgeous.” Wartortle nodded his head in agreement.

Thinking about Ash’s words, I gave a deep sigh. “Honestly, hearing Ash talk that way about his friends, I feel a little jealous.” Wartortle turned his head. “I want to be friends with someone the way he has friends. Having fun each day, with Pokémon, even if some fighting is involved. It doesn’t even have to be Paul, just someone. I’ll be the first to admit it gets a little lonely not having someone who can talk back.”

Wartortle made a small whine.

Realizing that I accidentally hurt his feelings, I panicked. “Oh, wait! I didn’t mean it like that, Wartortle! It’s just, however way you look at it, you can’t speak my language, and I can't speak yours. It’s just a bunch of interpretation.” He nodded his head with a frown. I patted it. “I love being with you and the other Pokémon, more than anything. I just need a human companion too. Does that make sense?”

He nodded. Then Wartortle popped onto his feet and yelled at me.

I staggered. “What? Where’s this coming from?”

Ignoring me, Wartortle ordered me to ask about becoming traveling companions with…

“With Paul?! What kind of suggestion is that?”

He argued Paul as a really good candidate, and that’s after knowing him for only a few days. Plus, he reminded me of what I said a few seconds ago, about wanting a human companion the way Ash has Brock and Misty.

“You’re crazy, Wartortle! No way I can do that! I mean, that’s true. And sure, Paul and I’ve already traveled together for a little while, but I don’t think we could go on for too long without killing each other. He’s so… He’s so...” I stopped, unable to put together the right words.

Wartortle gave me a look.

I blushed. “No! It’s not like that! Paul just… doesn’t seem like the guy who’d even listen to that sort of request. After all, we conflict on every level. I like to take my time, and go sightseeing. He doesn’t. He treats his Pokémon a lot harsher than I do, and he seems to always be in more of a hurry. I’d probably just slow him down, honestly.”

Wartortle jumped in my face, asking what other option I had.

“Ah… Well…” I couldn’t respond. “I haven’t exactly made too many friends so far. I don’t have a pool to pick from.”

My Pokémon folded his arms.

I turned away to process.  _ Traveling with someone else would be a lot of fun, even if it ended up being Paul. Plus, he’s right; Paul isn’t the terrible guy I make him out to be. And after what Ash said, I know deep down that I like him enough to be friends with him. _

After a moment, I turned back to my Pokémon. “You think it’s worth a shot?”

He noted how well we got along despite having our differences.

“True. We did get along decently enough those few days. It could’ve been worse.”

Wartortle explained how it’d just be like asking someone to be your friend.

“That’s easier said than done…” My anxiety wanted to stubbornly refuse. Deep down though, I knew Wartortle argued a good point.  _ And I’m sure he’s just trying to help… _ Knowing I couldn’t win, I sighed. “Fine. You win. Next time I see Paul, I’ll talk to him about it. He may shoot me down in an instant, but I’ll try. Is that enough for you?”

Wartortle happily nodded.

I stroked his ear. “So stubborn. Definitely my Pokémon.”

We heard tiny wings flapping. Zubat flew down to us. “Did you find anything?”

She regretfully shook her head.

“That’s alright. At least you didn’t run into a giant Pokémon.” I looked at them both. “Well, let’s get some sleep then. Shall we?” Wartortle stepped over to the fire and put it out. Then he and Zubat went back inside their Poké Balls.

Heading back into the cave, I stopped and looked back towards the stars. I held a hand to my heart.  _ Be careful, Luxio, and Pikachu. All of you! Stick together, and I’ll find you first thing in the morning! _ I grabbed my jacket, bundled it up underneath my head, and fell asleep on the rocky ground.

★

After a good night’s sleep, Ash and I got up the moment light touched our noses. “Let’s go. We have to find everyone as quickly as we can,” I said, packing up my things.

“Before they all get eaten,” Ash muttered.

I angrily tossed his hat at his face. “Not helping!”

We hurried into the forest, searching high and low for all our friends. I repeatedly sent Pidgeotto, Butterfree, and Zubat on scouting missions, but they all kept turning up without any clues to the others’ location.

“Luxio! Pikachu!” I called.

“Squirtle! Bulbasaur! Charmander!” Ash shouted.

"Misty!"

"Brock!"

No matter who we called, we never got a response.

I nervously fiddled with my hands. “Where the hell could they be?”

Suddenly, another giant Pokémon stomped into view. “What’s that?!” we screamed. A giant dragon roared and shot a massive Flamethrower at us. We ducked behind a rock for cover.

“A Charizard?!” I gasped, peeking around the rock.

“The final form of Charmander?” Ash asked.

“Yeah, but I didn’t think they got that big! Dex!”

My Pokédex beeped. “ _ No Pokémon found. No data _ .”

Ash gave me a look. “Still no data? Rosa, I think your Pokédex is having issues.”

Frustrated, I grabbed my Pokédex and manually entered in the name. “ _ Charizard the Flame Pokémon, and the evolved form of Charmeleon. The final evolved form of Charmander, its fiery breath reaches incredible temperatures. It can quickly melt glaciers weighing 10,000 tons, and it is known to cause forest fires unintentionally. _ ”

“There!” I cheered, happy to see my Pokédex still working.

Ignoring me, Ash grabbed my hand. “Enough research! We have to get away!” We narrowly got away from another Flamethrower.

We scaled a short mountain to get away from Charizard, running into a giant Venusaur along the way. “A Venusaur is the final evolved form of Bulbasaur, I think!” Ash called.

I looked it up. “ _ Venusaur the Seed Pokémon, and the evolved form of Ivysaur. It is the final evolved form of Bulbasaur. Venusaur uses its large petals to capture sunlight and transform it into energy. As a result, it is more powerful in the summertime. _ ”

Racing across a stone bridge, which lacked handrails, we suddenly came face-to-face with another giant Pokémon. I gasped, nearly staggering right over the edge. “Is that a…”

“Pikachu?!” Ash screamed, falling down in shock.

The Pikachu stepped so close it's nose nearly touched the bridge.

Then we heard another scream. Misty and Brock came charging straight at us from the other side of the bridge. Behind them, a massive blue turtle steadily approached. “It’s Brock and Misty!” Ash cheered.

“And company!” I shrieked. “What even is that?!”

Dex answered. “ _ Blastoise the Shellfish Pokémon, and the evolved form of Wartortle. Blastoise is the final evolved form of Squirtle. Its strength lies in its power, rather than its speed. Its shell is like armor and attacks from the cannons on its back are virtually unstoppable. _ ”

“Ash! Rosa!” Misty and Brock called, racing over to us.

“Are you guys doing alright?” I shouted back.

They stopped to catch a quick breath. “As well as we can. Where’s Pikachu, and Luxio's gone too?” Misty asked.

I frowned, looking at Ash. "We've been trying to find them, and that eventually brought us to that!" I gestured to the giant Pikachu staring us down.

"Pikachu?!" Misty and Brock screamed.

“What’s that?” Ash muttered, looking past Pikachu. 

Off on the horizon, a dust cloud hurtled towards us. Another giant Pokémon got dragged along a set of train tracks, which happened to run underneath the bridge. As it pulled closer, its massive body cause a series of earthquakes. The tremors destroyed the bridge right under our feet.

The four of us all fell down into a trolley cart, coming face-to-face with the duo of Jessie and James. We screamed out in horror and pointed, not at Team Rocket. We screamed after seeing the giant Pikachu get dragged alongside the other Pokémon; this was all thanks to a thick cable caught on the trolley cart.

“Now we’ve got you twerps right where we want you!” Jessie laughed.

“So hand over Pikachu!” James ordered. However, they both noted our gaze and looked back, staring right into the lifeless smile of the giant Pikachu following us. “But not that big one!”

Then, I noticed more giant Pokémon approaching in the distance. At their feet, several regular-sized Pokémon ran away as fast as possible. I recognized pointy, yellow ears and black fur amongst the rest. “Ash, look!” I yelled, pointing out the Pokémon.

“Pikachu!” Ash screamed.

The giant Pokémon chased the little ones, quickly catching up. “At that rate, they’re all going to get run over!” Brock growled.

Ash looked at Jessie and James. “Stop the trolley right now!”

They grinned at us. “About that,” Jessie muttered.

“We can’t stop. The brake’s broken!” James admitted, holding up a broken lever.

“Give me a break,” I frowned.

“Look, guys!” Misty yelled, pointing up ahead.

A big loop-de-loop sat in the tracks. “What the hell?!” Brock asked.

“Prepare for big trouble!” James shouted.

“Make it double, and I can’t stand roller coasters!” Jessie screamed.

“What do we do?!” Misty called.

“Hold on tight!” I barked, bracing myself inside the cart.

Jessie screamed her heart out as we entered the loop. “Stop the ride! I want to get off!”

When we finished the loop, which only took a few seconds, my stomach felt all jumbled up and terrible. Still, the loop bought our Pokémon time to catch up to the cart. They now ran alongside us. “Okay, everyone, jump!” I shouted.

All at once, the Pokémon took a great big leap, jumping into our outstretched arms.

I caught Pikachu and Luxio without any trouble, holding them against my chest and squeezing the life out of them. They aggressively brushed their fur against my face. “Pikachu! Luxio!” I cheered, nearly crying. “You’re okay!”

Pikachu suddenly tugged on my shirt. She held out two Poké Balls. One had the usual red and white coloring, while the other sported the colors belonging to Luxio’s Poké Ball. That’s when I let the tears stream down my face. “Pikachu, you mean you took care of them all this time?!” She smiled and nodded, reminding me that Luxio didn’t have opposable thumbs. “Oh, Pikachu, you’re the best! Thank you!”

“Is everyone here?” Ash asked, holding his Pikachu with tears in his eyes.

Brock and Misty held his Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander.

Jessie and James had Ekans, Koffing, and Meowth too.

“Everyone’s alright now,” Brock said.

“Ah! They’re all after us now!” Misty suddenly screamed.

Our attention got pulled back to the giant Pokémon. The giant Pikachu and its friend tripped the evolved starter Pokémon. Soon all five of them dragged along behind our cart. It was a simply horrifying scene.

“Maybe our luck will hold out...” Ash suggested.

“Well, based on our recent run of luck,” James began, “I would say the cable should snap.”

“That should happen about now,” Jessie said. Instantly, the cable snapped, ending the chase.

“Next, we’ll be hurled into the air.” Approaching a small hill in the tracks, the trolley went so fast that it shot into the air.

“Then, we’ll probably crash into something,” said Meowth.

The trolley smashed right into the yellow bird Pokémon we saw last night. A waterfall of metal parts I would never be able to name fell around our heads. “Was that a fake Pokémon?” I asked.

“It would make sense why your Pokédex never worked then,” Ash noted.

“And then finally, we hit the water!” Meowth yelled. The trolley lost momentum, and began to fall. “After a really, really long drop!” We plunged into the ocean.

The fun wasn’t quite over yet. We ran into one final Pokémon robot: a Gyarados. The trolley cart smashed into the head, causing a massive explosion that sent everyone blasting off, not just Team Rocket.

★

I got blown to yet another beach, not sure on the same island or a different one. At least this time I ended up with my beloved Pokémon, no humans though.

Luxio, Pikachu, and I tried looking for Ash and the others. However, all my flying Pokémon searched the skies, and when they returned without any sign of them, we switched gears. I just wanted to focus on getting off the island.

The three of us trekked through the jungle, with Pikachu frequently running ahead. “I’d love to make sure Ash and the others are fine, but we should worry a little more about ourselves,” I said to Luxio. “We still have to get off this island somehow. It’s not like we haven’t found any—”

Suddenly Pikachu cried from the top of a hill. “Do you see something up there?” She waved for us to hurry up.

Rushing to her side, Luxio and I came upon a stunning sight. “...cities?!”

An actual city sat before us, right on the water. It had white, sandy beaches right next to towering office buildings, and clear blue skies watched over from above. “There’s an entire city on the island?!”

Pikachu tugged on my leg, pointing at the water. I smiled down at her. “Oh, we’re definitely checking that out!”

We raced down the hill towards the beach.


	13. Beauty and the Beach - Part 1

“Blue skies, white sands, and that means…” I stepped onto the sand, wearing nothing but my swimsuit, with my bag slung over my shoulder, “...time to hit the waves and soak up some rays!”

Wasting no time at all, Pikachu grabbed an inner tube and jumped into the water with Wartortle.

Pidgeotto, Zubat, and Butterfree helped me set out a beach blanket. “There’s no need to rush, you guys! We have three days before the next ferry back to the mainland. Plenty of time for splashing in the water!” I hollered as I set up an umbrella. Then, I dismissed all my flying Pokémon to do whatever they wanted.

Charmander found a bucket and shovel in my bag and held them out to me. I let out a giggle. “You’re probably not planning on swimming, huh? I figured. Go ahead. Make me the best sandcastle ever!” She gave me a big smile before scampering off.

A fluffy head suddenly nudged the back of my leg. Luxio stood behind me, his brush in his mouth. I couldn’t resist his sweet face. “I know you won’t be jumping in the water anytime soon either. Okay, come here.”

Luxio sat patiently while I brushed him top to bottom. “It’s important for you to be groomed everyday, especially now that you’ve evolved. Your fur is much longer and thicker than a Shinx. Man, just wait until you become a Luxray!” He gave me a look, wondering if the idea excites me or not. “What are you talking about? Of course, I want you to evolve! I don’t care if I have to spend a little longer brushing you everyday. It’s totally worth it.

“And besides, it’ll always be more of a pain to brush my hair.” We both laughed.

After we finished up his grooming appointment, Luxio licked my face to express his gratitude. “Ha ha, of course!” He then sprawled out in the sun and dozed off. Pidgeotto decided to join him, while Zubat and Butterfree flew off to find decorations for Charmander’s castle.

I stepped over to the water’s edge. Pikachu happily paddled about, with the inner tube circling around her small body. Sometimes, she twirled her tail like a propeller, hoping to go faster. “You have to spin it super fast if you want that to happen,” I laughed.

Wartortle suddenly popped up beside my electric Pokémon, gleefully spraying a fountain of water into the air. “How’s the water? It’s still a little cold for me,” I admitted, standing knee-deep so far.

Of course, Pikachu repeated what I yelled at them earlier. “That’s right. With the time we’re going to spend here, I’ll definitely get used to the water.”

When we had arrived in civilization earlier that day, we had looked for a way off the island before anything. At a tourist information center, I discovered the name of the city: Porta Vista. I found out that the giant Pokémon we encountered belonged to an amusement park, Pokémon Land, on the same island.

That left me a little irritated. “Who on earth built that place, and why?” I grumbled down to my Pokémon after learning the truth.

This city split into two districts: Acapulco and Hutber Port. Acapulco is an extremely popular tourist destination all over the world, complete with beaches, restaurants, hotels, and resorts. Hutber Port contained the majority of the residential and business neighborhoods, in addition to more hotels and resorts. People can find ferries to and from the mainland in Hutber Port.  _ Bingo! _

Unfortunately, the ferry only gets to Porta Vista every three days. From the mainland, it has to stop at two other islands before reaching this one. Naturally, I always had impeccable timing. “The ferry won’t arrive for three days,” said a lady working the ferry ticket counter. “I’m afraid it just left this morning.”

I sighed in frustration. Of course, without any other way to get off the island, apart from getting my own boat, I admitted defeat. “Am I still able to purchase a ticket for the next ferry?”

“I have a few open spots left. Are you all by yourself?”

I nodded back. “Yep. Just me and my Pokémon.” Pikachu and Luxio jumped up to say hi.

She smiled back at them, sitting beside a Pidgey herself. “It’ll be a day’s trip. Are you okay with that?”

“Anything if it means getting off this island.”

The lady looked at me funny. “That bad, huh?”

I had panicked. “No… No, it’s just… Ah, forget I said anything… Yes! I’ll happily reserve a spot on the next ferry!”

“Wonderful!” She took in my information, and I had purchased a ticket for the ferry.

A stream of water suddenly struck me in the face. “No fair, Wartortle! You can’t use an attack on me!” I shouted, throwing my arm forward to splash him back. Pikachu splashed us both with her tail.

After a quick water fight, we ventured deeper into the bay. I rented out some breathing equipment for myself and Pikachu. We held onto Wartortle’s shell, and he dived underwater, happily leading us around. We explored a beautiful coral reef filled with life. Schools of Magikarp, Goldeen, and Seaking passed. I also discovered a new Pokémon, a red crab with large, red pincers, named Krabby. We didn’t get too close though, as those pincers looked a little scary.

We tried another fun activity: surfing. A popular sport around the world, we observed lots of Trainers using their own Pokémon to ride the waves rather than boards. Pikachu and I took turns using Wartortle’s back. He didn’t mind at all, appreciating the chance to work on his swimming skills. He handled the waves really well, and Pikachu did too. I couldn’t say the same about myself though, falling off several times. Still, we all had a lot of fun.

It didn’t take long before everyone got tired of swimming, and hungry.

The three of us trudged back to our spot on the beach. Luxio watched us approach, steadily wagging his tail back and forth. Butterfree and Zubat snoozed nearby, and Pidgeotto perched atop Charmander’s sandcastle, which had been completed.

“You did all of that by yourself?!”

Charmander stepped back to let us admire her work of art. The castle had many towers, spires, and turrets, at least seven, each rising taller than the last, and the details were nothing short of impressive. Windows, flags made from leaves, and a sturdy rampart going all around the property.

I slumped. “Great. My Pokémon can surf better and make better sandcastles too.”

Luxio nodded his head, both of us remembering my many awful attempts to make one.

“Not helping, pal…” I turned to the group. “So, anyways, who’s hungry?” They all jumped up and down, cheering at the top of their lungs. “Wow! I should’ve asked sooner. Well then, I’m going to get some food. You all can just stay here. I won’t be too long.”

Wartortle suddenly stood up, insisting he come along to help carry stuff back.

I grinned. “Not like I can refuse, I guess. Thanks.”

Also, Pikachu asked me to get a specific item on our way back, besides the food.

“You want me to find a beach ball?” She nodded her head. “Well, alright, I’ll see if I can find one somewhere.”

Leaving Luxio in charge, Wartortle and I went to grab lunch.

I seriously underestimated the number of restaurants, cafes, food trucks and vendors parked along the beach. Anything you could imagine, you could find. Cheeseburgers, pizza, hot dogs, barbeque, seafood, and a thousand different flavors of ice cream, including wasabi and squid ink. We even found a small hut where you could smash watermelons.

“There’s so much food here. What do you think we should get?” I said to Wartortle. We stuffed our faces with some squid ink ice cream, a treat to my Pokémon for coming along to help me out.

He asked what everyone on the team likes to eat.

I stood still for a moment, a hand to my chin. “Well, as far as I can tell, everyone likes sweet things, and fruits. Charmander prefers spicy food, and Luxio will eat anything that comes from the ocean. Plus, nobody can resist anything off the grill.” He agreed with that last statement.

After a moment, I clapped my hands together. “How about seafood? That restaurant back there smelled good, and the line of people going out the door means it’s worth a try.” He gulped down the last of his ice cream and approved my idea. “Let’s get a watermelon too. We can break it open and have it for dessert.”

Wartortle expressed his joy by smiling wide and excitedly dancing around.

We first stopped at the watermelon hut to acquire a melon, the biggest and most beautiful one they had. Wartortle carried it, looking forward to a fun game of watermelon splitting. Then, I got the rest of the food from a seafood shack. It proved difficult to narrow down a list of choices from the massive menu, but I somehow managed: grilled salted fish and squid on skewers, steamed oysters, fried shrimp, and crab legs.

Leaving the restaurant, I happily gazed at the boxes of food in my arms. It looked like enough food to feed six people, guaranteeing satisfaction for my Pokémon. “This should be good for everyone, right?”

Wartortle nodded.

“Did you happen to see any stores that sell beach balls by the way?” He frowned. “Hey, don’t feel too bad. Maybe we’ve just got to go a little farther up the road to find some. I’ve really been wanting to play ever since Pikachu suggested it!”

A voice suddenly barked at me, “Slacking off as usual, I see, Girlie?”

_ No way! _

I froze, and slowly turned my head to the side. “It’s Paul!” I gasped, seeing his purple hair. Then I glared at him. “How many times do I have to say it? Don’t call me that!”

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to interrupt your day off.”

“You expecting me to work? I’m on an island, and it’s sunny.”

“Perfect weather to do some Pokémon Training.”

I frowned. “Then why are you in swim trunks?”

He shrugged. “It’s hot out. Duh.”

“Really? You weren’t planning to swim  _ at all _ ?”

After a second, Paul looked away. “That’s none of your business.”

His rude comment made me frown. “Well then, if you’re not on vacation, what are you doing here?”

“I came to this island to catch a water Pokémon.”

“A water Pokémon?”

“Yeah. I need one for my team, and thought an island like this one would be the perfect place to capture one.”

“Any water Pokémon in particular?”

“This one, actually.” He opened his Pokédex, showing me the file on Gyarados.

I gulped. “You’re looking for a Gyarados?!”

“Yeah. You haven’t seen any around, have you?”

“No… No, not really. I think I would’ve remembered seeing a Gyarados. Trust me. If I could see a Gyarados from here, you would’ve heard about it.”

“True.” He stashed his Pokédex away. “What about you? Did you actually come here for a vacation? Last time we saw each other, you were just having a look around Vermillion City.”

The color left my face. “Ah! Well, that’s a long story. Kind of boring, and I don’t wan—”

“I’ve got time,” he said flatly.

I hesitated, wondering what to say. When I looked to Wartortle for help, he replied by raising his eyebrow, reminding me of the deal I made to him just the other day. “This is not the time for that,” I muttered to him.

Wartortle glared at me.

“Time for what?” Paul asked.

I jumped out of my skin. “Uh, ha ha… listen. I’d love to sit and chat, Paul, but I have hungry Pokémon to feed. Let’s catch up later, okay? Bye!” I sped off with Wartortle. He gave me another look. “Not now…”

We returned to our spot on the beach, finding everyone lounging around. Pidgeotto cried out to alert the others of our return. “That’s right! We’ve got food!” Wartortle and I set everything in the center. Everyone admired the selection, starting to drool. “What are you all just standing around for? Dig in!” They attacked the food.

I sat back to watch my Pokémon stuff their faces.

Luxio stepped over to me with a grilled fish in his mouth. He swallowed it in one gulp and then wondered why I didn’t eat. “Oh, I’m not so hungry. I ate some ice cream earlier. That stuff’s all for you guys, so please, eat up.”

He went and grabbed a small fish, holding it out to me. I grinned. “Okay, just one.”

After I finished the fish, Luxio asked if I felt sick or something. He thought I’d been acting a little weird since I got back, initially thinking it was just my hunger.

I waved a hand. “I really appreciate the concern, Luxio, but I promise I’m fine. I’m just not too…” Luxio stared behind me, making me a little concerned. “Luxio? What’s wro—?”

Suddenly, someone stuck a large, black bowl on my head, sealed up with a clear lid. It looked like the ones that restaurants use for takeout soups. I stared at it, a little confused, and traced the arm with my eyes. The owner of the arm had purple hair. “He’s right, you know.”

I gazed up at him, slowly taking the bowl. “Paul?”

Paul sat down beside me. “You should eat something more filling than ice cream.”

“Are you crazy? I can’t eat this. It’s your food, and besi—”

He held up a second bowl. “I already have food for myself.”

“Huh?” I looked between him and the bowl he gave me. “Did you… buy me food?”

He never met my eyes. “Just eat it already.”

I grumbled, “What, before it gets cold? How nice of you!”

“No, before a Pokémon smells it and takes it from you.” He pointed out the many Pokémon inching closer to the container in my hands, drooling more than earlier. “And it’s already cold.”

“Already cold?” I opened the bowl, finding a heaping helping of noodles with sliced boiled eggs, beef, fresh veggies, and even a slice of watermelon, all dunked in a cold beef broth. My heart fluttered at the sight. “Noodles! And they smell so good! Where the heck did you find these?!”

“There was a noodle shop right next to the place where you got all the other stuff. I can’t believe you didn’t see it, dummy.”

I grit my teeth. “Hey, I got a little distracted by  _ someone _ , if you forgot!” I took a fork and tried a bite, freezing up the instant I tasted the noodles.  _ The taste… The taste…! _ My taste buds just entered heaven!

After a long pause, Paul asked, “Are you okay?”

I quickly shouted, “These are delicious!” and tore into the noodles. “The best-tasting cold noodles on the planet!”

Paul smiled. “Then I guess the signs really meant it. ‘Terribly mouthwatering’ is how they phrased it.”

“I couldn’t agree more!”

We ate our lunch peacefully, with Paul. I only let him stay since he bought me such delicious noodles. My Pokémon and I filled our tummies to max capacity. They ended up with a bit of leftovers, so Paul fed them to his Pokémon.

After eating, all my Pokémon went back to playing. I warned them not to push themselves too hard, since they just ate. “That goes for you guys, too! Don’t give yourself a tummy ache,” I said to Paul’s Pokémon, before they ran off to join the fun.

Grotle came over and sat right behind me, enjoying the sunshine on his back.

I leaned back against him. “It’s nice to see you too, Grotle.”

Ivysaur came over for some attention, climbing into my lap.

I scratched his head. “And you too, Ivysaur. It’s been a while. Has Paul been treating you guys well enough?”

“If you think I’ve been letting anyone take it easy with training, you’re completely wrong.”

Hearing that, Ivysaur and I smiled at each other. “You know, you’re welcome to come along with me whenever you want, Ivysaur.”

“Hey! Don’t try to take my Pokémon!”

We ignored him. Then Ivysaur ran off to splash in the water.

“Aren’t you going to splash in the water too?” Paul asked.

“Oh, I went swimming earlier, and I did just eat. Besides, it’s no rush. I have three days to play in the water.”

“Three days? So, you plan to head out on the next ferry, huh?”

“Yeah. The sooner I get off this island, the better.”

“That reminds me.” He narrowed his eyes, making me nervous. “You avoided the question earlier, about how you ended up on this island. It doesn’t sound like you’re very enthused about being here.”

I gulped and curled up in a ball. “I told you. It’s a long story...”

“I’ve got time. I’m not leaving for three days either.”

“You’re heading out on the same ferry as me then?”

He nodded. “I told you I came to get a Gyarados. Whether I catch one here or not, I don’t plan to stay here for very long. It’d put me too far behind on getting Badges, and I can always find a Gyarados in other places.”

I laughed. “That sounds like you.”

“So, will you tell me what happened?”

Thinking hard, I knew fighting was pointless. Admitting defeat, I gave Paul my account of the last few days: the St. Anne Pokémon party, Team Rocket’s attempt to steal everyone’s Pokémon, and then the sinking ship. Talking about my near-death experience freaked me out a little, especially when I mentioned nearly getting squashed by giant, robotic Pokémon.

“That’s why Pokémon Land is out of order?”

I raised an eyebrow. “You knew about that?”

“How could I not? It’s the talk of the town. The amusement park is completely shut down until further notice, they say.”

I nervously looked away. “Ha ha. Well, let’s just keep that secret between us, please…”

“Still, that’s one hell of a few days, and to think I spent all that time lounging around on a boat heading to Porta Vista. If I would’ve known…”

His attitude surprised me a bit. “Ah, you don’t have to look so upset about it. I appreciate the concern, really, but I’m fine now. See?” I pointed at myself, smiling.

He scoffed. “Yeah. If something that terrifying won’t wipe that stupid grin off your face, nothing will.”

Frustrated, I changed the subject. “Anyways, why aren’t  _ you _ in the water?”

“Oh, I’m not a big swimming person.”

“But swimming is fun.”

“Not for me. I’m like Grotle here. We prefer sitting in the sun.”

“So then why are you trying to find a water Pokémon? You realize that if you want something like a Gyarados, you’re gonna need to swim pretty far out there.”

After a moment, he replied, “I’ll think of something.”

“Why are you always so difficult?” I stood up and stretched. “Well, I’m heading back to the water now. Are you going to hang out here?”

“I suppose so. Not much more than that, and you did pick a pretty decent spot on the sand, I’ll admit. I’ll watch your stuff as thanks for letting me hang out here.” Grotle assured me that he’d also keep an eye on my stuff.

“Thanks, Grotle. I’m counting on you more than someone just working on his tan.”

Paul lay back on the blanket. “It’s not like I’m trying to tan.”

I smirked and crossed my arms. “True. It’d be pretty weird to get a nice tan but not be much of a bodybuilder. That’s wasting your time at that point.”

“Oh, excuse me. Just so you know, you’re not much to look at either.”

Out of nowhere, Wartortle launched a stream of bubbles at Paul’s face.

He angrily wiped away the water on his face. “What was that for?!”

“You totally deserved it, jerk! Nice Bubble Beam, Wartortle. Now, ready for some more surfing?” He agreed.

Wartortle and I surfed some waves for a while. This time, I managed to get a better grasp of the sport. My balance improved a whole lot, and before you knew it, I started to prefer using my Pokémon’s back over an actual surfboard. Definitely a good team sport for a Pokémon and their Trainer.

When I returned to our beach spot an hour later, Paul spoke to an old man wearing a large hat, t-shirt, and shorts. “Who’s that?” I muttered. Wartortle had no idea.

Paul saw me approaching. “Oh, you’re back. What took you so long?”

“You know, surfing isn’t a quick game of volleyball.”

Ignoring my comment, Paul looked to his new friend, pointing at me. “Well anyways, this is the girl I talked about. This is Rosa. Rosa, this is Ryu. He owns a restaurant nearby.”

I bowed my head. “Nice to meet you, Ryu.”

The old man’s face turned red. “I look forward to you in a few years,” he mumbled, a creepy glint in his eyes.

I shivered, feeling his eyes all over my body. “Who do you think you’re—”

Paul suddenly threw his jacket over my head. “You’re soaking wet. Put that on before you get a cold.”

I grumbled, pulling the jacket onto my arms. “Don’t tell me what to do.”  _ Paul’s jacket is really warm. _

“Anyway, what did you need help with, sir?”

“Well, I mentioned owning a restaurant right on this beach. I’ve run it for years. Recently though, I’ve been having a difficult time getting customers, so I haven’t made much money. I could really use some part-time help for the day, just for today.”

“What happened to your other workers?”

“They all thought I wouldn’t pay them on time, so they all quit.”

Paul raised an eyebrow. “So, you have no help whatsoever?”

The old man clapped his hands together. “I just need it for today. Please!”

Paul looked back at me, asking for my opinion. I shrugged. “Just for today should be fine. I didn’t plan to do anything else anyways.”

“Thank you so much, both of you! And I’ll make sure you get paid well. Why don’t I lead you to the restaurant?” He walked off. Paul and I packed our things, recalled all our Pokémon, and followed after Ryu.

★

Ryu brought us to his restaurant, named Beach Shack Ryu, a tiny beach hut. He hired us on to help as a waiter and waitress, while he handled the kitchen. Unfortunately, not a single person came inside for a bite.

To attract customers, Paul and I stood outside the main entrance, using honeyed words to try reeling in some money. “This is the amazing two-in-one shower and ramen hut, Beach Shack Ryu! Anyone want to take a break here?!” I called.

“We have shaved ice, and steamed oysters! Try our squid-on-a-stick!” Paul shouted.

A young couple approached the shop, reading the menu and peeking inside. I waved a hand towards the door. “Welcome. A table for two?”

The dude said, “Wanna go in?”

Latched to his arm, the girl frowned and looked away. “Looks like a big dump! Why don’t we try that fancy hut over there instead?”

The couple headed to the beach hut nextdoor. Honestly, it looked a lot nicer, a much more modern feel to it than Ryu’s little shack. A tall woman with magenta hair greeted them at the door. “Welcome to Beach House Brutella. Party of two? Please proceed up the stairs.” After leading the customers upstairs, the lady met my eyes and stuck her tongue out.

“Team Rocket?” I gasped in surprise. “What are you guys doing here?”

Jessie called out, “A fashionable beach should have a fashionable hut with fashionable workers!”

James and Meowth stood up on the deck, smirking down at me. “Customers aren’t going to come to your hut,” James laughed.

“Serves you right for being friends with those other twerps, little twerpette!” Meowth said.

I growled at them. “Like I’ll lose to you guys!”

They all ignored me and returned to their work.

Angered beyond the breaking point, I looked down at Luxio. “After everything, and they have the nerve to act like that to me?! We’ll show them, won’t we?” He barked.

“What’s gotten into you two? Who even were those guys?” Paul asked.

“Tell you later! Right now, we have to make sure we get more customers than the clowns next door! I’m going to need everyone’s help for this. Give me a hand, guys!” I sent out all of my Pokémon, minus Gyarados.  _ I don’t need Ryu’s restaurant to be destroyed... _

We got Operation Attract-Customers underway in seconds, somehow getting Paul’s Pokémon to help out too. Pikachu, Butterfree, and Wartortle handed out fliers advertising the restaurant, as well as discount coupons. Pidgeotto, Zubat, and Charmander helped keep the grills going in the kitchen for Ryu. Luxio and Ivysaur helped me with my waitressing duties, and Grotle and Mankey helped set up tables and chairs outside.

“The number of customers suddenly multiplied thanks to my part-time Pokémon plan!” I laughed, running back and forth serving food and drinks.

“Not too bad,” Paul replied, having Grotle take food to people sitting outside.

However, our good fortune came to a quick end. Thanks to several accidents, like tripping on banana peels, and the grill spontaneously combusting, the crazy crowd left Ryu’s restaurant for the hut next door.

“No way,” I frowned. “What went wrong?”

“Absolutely everything,” Paul muttered.


	14. Beauty and the Beach - Part 2

Everyone helped clean up the restaurant after the short rush. Then, we all moped around inside, trying to find a solution to quickly fix the dangerous lack of business. I racked my brain for answers, but it produced absolutely nothing useful.

“I’m sorry, Ryu. Because of us, your hut’s reputation has been ruined,” apologized Paul.

“You don’t need to apologize. You guys worked your hardest. I know that,” consoled Ryu.

Coming up with nothing, I slammed my fist on the table and fumed: “But isn’t it weird how we keep having accidents?”

“Well, when you consider the restaurant you’re working for, it’s no surprise,” cackled a voice. A grumpy, wrinkly old lady had just entered the restaurant.

“Brutella?!” Ryu gasped, knocking down his chair as he shot up.

I recognized the two bodyguards at her side. “Jessie and James too,” I scowled.

Brutella looked around Ryu’s sorry excuse for a restaurant. She possessed a scratchy voice that sent shivers up and down my spine. “As always, this hut has no customers. It wouldn’t be at all strange if it went bankrupt at some point.”

“What was that?!” Paul snapped.

She ignored him, all her attention focused on her rival restaurateur. “I don’t care if this dump does go bankrupt, but it would be troublesome if you couldn’t pay back all the money I lent you.”

“I… I know that,” Ryu admitted.

“The deadline is tomorrow. If you don’t pay up by then, I’ll be taking your boat.”

Suddenly, all the composure in his body left him. “Wait! Spare me the boat, at least!”

“No way! You can’t change my mind!” Brutella then left the restaurant, cackling.

“What she says goes,” James laughed.

“Too bad,” Jessie grinned.

“Our apologies,” Meowth said before they all followed after their boss.

“Those guys!” I cursed, understanding why Ash and the others hated them so much.

Ryu fell to his knees in despair. “The deadline is tomorrow. But we won’t be able to earn enough money by the end of the day. I’ll have to give that boat to Brutella, won’t I?”

I sharply turned to him. “That boat’s important to you, right, Ryu?”

“I’d been working forever and finally obtained it. It’s my dream to travel around the world in that boat.”

When his head drooped again, I raised my voice. “That’s why you can’t give up so easily!”

He seemed surprised by my passion. “Huh?”

“Don’t throw away your dream just like that!” I gestured to my Pokémon. “Since I met these guys, I’m starting to feel like my dream to become the world’s best Pokémon Trainer might come true. Ryu, your dream is on the verge of coming true too, right? It would be a waste to give that up.”

“It’s just as she says,” Paul added. “You can’t hand the boat over to Brutella.”

I nodded. “We’ll get the money somehow.” All the Pokémon agreed with me.

The old man gazed at me. “Ms. Rosa…”

“Let’s do our best, and we’ll lend a hand however we can.”

“Well, okay, but what should we do?”

I tapped my chin, thinking hard.

A different voice said to us, “There is a way to earn the money.” We looked at the front entrance, where an old man walked inside. He wore a Hawaiian-style shirt and shorts. “It’s been a while, Rosa.”

“Professor Oak!” I gasped.

Then, a lady walked in beside him. I recognized her quickly too. “Mrs. Ketchum?”

“Hi there, Rosa,” she greeted with a friendly smile.

“When did you meet Professor Oak?” Paul impatiently asked.

“Well,” I began, “after I got to Kanto, Luxio and I went to Pallet Town to meet him. It was actually suggested by Professor Rowan as a way to get some data on the Kanto region, and get a map too.”

“I take it this is a friend of yours?” Professor Oak asked.

“Yep. This is Paul. He’s a Pokémon Trainer from Sinnoh just like me.”

Paul politely bowed to him. “It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”

“The honor’s mine.”

“So, why are you guys here?” I asked.

“I’ll explain that later. For now, look at this.” He handed me a magazine with an article all about Porta Vista, and a special annual contest. “Today is the day of Porta Vista’s annual summer competition: the Beach Beauty and Pokémon Costume Contest.”

“Beach Beauty?” I repeated.

“And Pokémon Costume Contest?” Paul said.

“And the prize for winning is $1000 per category,” said Mrs. Ketchum.

“$1000?!” Paul and I shrieked.

Professor Oak nodded his head. “The contest draws thousands of people each year, and most of those people get hungry. They’ll all be looking for a place to eat, so why not advertise this place?” explained the Professor. “You’ll clean up, and you’ll have the money you need by the end of tomorrow.”

“$1000 is more than enough money to cover my debt!” Ryu said.

“And as far as Pokémon and beauty is concerned, I think our dear Rosa here’s got it in the bag,” Mrs. Ketchum said with a giggle.

“What?!” I squeaked, feeling my heart start to race.

“If the event is held, and one of the contestants is sponsored by this hut, I reckon we’d get crowds of customers swarming in here too!” Ryu added.

My eyes widened, and my hands got sweaty. “But wait… I…”

“Well then, your money troubles are over!” Mrs. Ketchum cheered.

“Um…”

Ryu quickly asked, “Well, what do you say, Ms. Rosa?”

My soul left my body. The pressure of everyone staring me down made my knees buckle. I suffered from stagefright, so going up onto a stage seemed impossible. However, I wanted to help Ryu save his restaurant, and his boat. With no other options, entering the competition seemed like the only way.

Holding a fist up to my heart, I gulped and replied, “All right! I’ll do it!”

“Excellent! Then we’ve got work to do!” Professor Oak cheered. He and Ryu went off to work on advertising.

“After we pass out fliers, I’ll help out with the costumes, okay?” Mrs. Ketchum said.

I made a small nod. “Sounds good.”

Watching her walk off, I noticed Paul cast me a concerned glance. It seemed like a figment of my imagination, so I ignored it and stepped away to figure out what to wear. Luxio also seemed concerned about me.

★

About an hour before the contest would begin, tourists swarmed the beach, and Ryu’s restaurant thanks to all our advertising. City officials set up a massive catwalk on the sand nearby, and people packed onto the ground around it.

The MC sat in a makeshift booth. “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re happy to announce that the Porta Vista Beach Beauty and Pokémon Costume Contest will soon begin! There’s a $1000 prize giveaway to the winner of each category. It’s not too late to sign up so hurry and enter!”

Paul and I stood by Ryu’s restaurant, watching people flood towards the stage and into his restaurant. “Professor Oak was right! The whole beach is packed!” I cheered.

“Success!” Paul said.

“With this, I can pay Brutella her money!” Ryu sniffled.

Paul turned to me. “Shouldn’t you be getting ready?”

Nervous on all accounts, I simply replied, “Oh, right. I should get going... You’ll be rooting for me, right?”

“Unless there’s someone less annoying than you, yeah.”

Feeling pain in my chest, I barked. “Wow, thanks for being a complete jackass, Paul!”

He seemed surprised by my outburst. “Hey, sorry. It was just a joke.”

“Yeah, a terrible one!” I stormed off to get ready, feeling less and less confident about this whole thing.  _ Let’s just get this over with... _

Once registered for the contest, I went backstage to prepare. The process for each contestant seemed simple enough. First, the girl walked out onto the stage in an outfit of her choosing. A contestant can wear whatever she wants, but obviously, the audience will give better reviews depending on what clothing is worn.  _ And how much skin is shown... _

“This is getting more and more humiliating,” I groaned, checking myself in the mirror over and over.

Mrs. Ketchum sat nearby fixing up the costume for my Pokémon. “You look great, dear.”

Though I loved the color, I felt uneasy about the amount of skin being shown. “You don’t think this is too revealing?”

“Not compared to some other girls out there. Your bikini is just right.”

I slumped.  _ What’s that supposed to mean? _

“Also, here.” She suddenly held out a hair clip with a pink flower on it. “I found this at an accessory store nearby.”

I gazed at the flower. “Are you letting me wear it?”

“I’m letting you have it, actually. Something tells me it suits you.”

Hearing that, I giggled, “Okay,” and then fastened the clip into my hair. “How do I look?”

“Beautiful. A healthy, tanned body always looks good.”

I blushed. “Thanks, I think.”

“And your Pokémon’s costume is done too.”

I gazed down at my Pokémon, who seemed just a tad bit uncomfortable. “Sorry. It’s the only costume I could come up with on the fly. The rules say you have to use at least two Pokémon in a single costume. It’ll just be for a bit.” They reluctantly agreed to remain on their best behavior.

“Well then, I’m heading to the stands now. Good luck, Rosa.”

“W...Wait, Mrs. Ketchum! I wanted to ask something.”

“Hmm. What is it?” Then she smiled. “And you can just call me Delia if you want.”

“Oh, okay, um… Delia…” I cleared my throat. “I was just curious why you and Professor Oak are here.”

“We’re here on a vacation with the Pallet Town neighborhood committee.”

“So that’s it. I was a little surprised.”

“By the way, have you seen Ash lately? I was hoping to see him here when I saw you.”

I frowned. “Sorry about that. As far as I know, Ash is doing well. I saw him a few days ago. He and Pikachu are getting along better than ever. He already has three Badges, and a full team of Pokémon.”

“Oh, that makes me so happy to know he’s doing well.”

“I’m glad I could share the good news then.” She left and went to her seat.

With music playing in the background, the Porta Vista contest started up. The MC shouted, “Welcome everybody! Thank you for waiting! The Porta Vista Beach Beauty and Pokémon Costume Contest is now underway!”

One by one, a line of girls stepped out onto the runway. They walked to the end and then posed, waiting for the audience to react. Some girls received much more praise than others. I thought I’d lose my hearing after the whistling started.

Then the girls had their Pokémon pose, dressed in costumes as other creatures. This was the second category of the competition. I thought some costumes looked more creative than others.

While waiting for my turn, I peeked through the curtains to watch my competition. “That’s a lot of people,” I muttered, trying to stop my shaky legs. Pikachu sat on my head and agreed. “I don’t know if I can do this…”

A voice called from behind me, “Don’t tell me you’re scared?” Paul stood behind us. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, staring me down.

“Of… Of course, I’m not scared!” I stammered. “What do I have to be scared of? It’s just a little beauty contest. Nothing I can’t win!”

Paul looked at me funny. “Are you okay?”

I faked a grin. “Yep. Perfectly fine. Why?” Suddenly, the latest contestant exited the stage, meaning my turn came next. I took in a deep breath and exhaled. “That’s my cue. Here I come, everybody!”

“Just go out there and win that money for Ryu. You’ll be fine.”

“Right…” Luxio shot me a look from his costume. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine…”

“What did he say?” Paul questioned, looking a little suspicious.

Looking away from him, I quickly retorted, “Just go back to your seat already.”

“Now, here’s the next participant!” called the MC.

I took another deep breath. “Here I go...” I stepped out onto the stage.

To my surprise, the crowd went crazy with the cheering and whistling. The energy had me shaking like a leaf. I struggled to take even the tiniest step forward, smiling and waving as I reached the end of the runway. “This is totally embarrassing and degrading, but we need the money,” I said to myself.

Professor Oak, Delia, and Ryu all sat in the stands, though Paul never joined them. I avoided looking for him. _He’s probably not impressed in the slightest anyways…_ _No, I’m being stupid! Who cares what he thinks?!_

The MC talked about me for a moment. “Introducing the sun-tanning, healthy girl next door, Rosa! In that lovely red-striped bikini, this is a definite candidate for first place! Just what kind of costume will her partner Pokémon show us?”

_ What kind of creep did they assign as MC?! _

Grinning, I called back to the curtains, “Okay, give ‘em your best roar!”

Luxio raced out beside me and roared. Standing on his back, Pidgeotto flapped her wings. With the suit binding them together, they appeared as one whole creature. “This is a very imaginative costume! We have before us a prideful griffin. The performers are actually a Luxio and Pidgeotto.”

The crowd exploded with cheers for all three of us.

“You two are doing an awesome job. Way better than me,” I whispered down to my two Pokémon. Luxio shot me a concerned glance. “I said I’m fine. Don’t give me tha—!” A hand shot out of nowhere and shoved me to the side.

“We’ll be taking first place now, thanks!” Jessie laughed, entering the stage with a dark-blue bikini barely containing her breasts.

I glared at her. “What the hell…?!” My attention instantly got drawn to James wearing a cute, orange bikini. “James! What’s the deal?! Aren’t you a guy?!”

“I am. My beauty isn’t specific to a man or woman though,” James replied.

“Now, get out of our way, flat-brat.” Jessie waved her hand at me.

_ Flat-brat?! _

“Well, service, service.” James touched a hand to his chest and made his boobs grow at least two sizes.

I staggered back in horror.  _ Inflatable boobs!! _

Jessie and James posed together. The audience went nuts with the praise, ignorant of the fake breasts. “Two women have suddenly burst onto the stage! I personally do not  _ dislike _ them, and everyone seems to be happy!”

“Naturally,” Jessie laughed, smirking back at me.

“What the hell?” I cried, listening to James get praise without being a real girl.

“You participated a few years too early,” James giggled, playing with his fake boobs.

Not daring to look anymore, I went backstage. Pikachu and Charmander waited for me by the stairs. I sat down beside them and wrapped my arms around myself. “That was absolutely humiliating! I can’t believe that just happened...” I wanted to crawl into a hole.

Standing a bit to my side, Luxio peeked through the curtains to watch Team Rocket’s performance. He mentioned seeing Ekans and Koffing dressed up together with a wig, floating on the stage.

I took a look through the curtains myself. “Is that supposed to look like something?”

The MC said, “This is supposed to resemble an Omastar, and the Pokémon are Ekans and Koffing.”

I turned away from the stage and seethed, “That doesn’t even look like an Omastar.”

Suddenly, someone shouted, “Get lost!”

Looking back through the curtains, I saw six pretty girls enter the stage. Their male ringleader literally kicked aside his previous competition. I recognized the brat easily. “Gary Oak?” I gasped.

Gary stood front and center with the six girls at his sides. The MC did nothing but comment about them. “And now we have a surprise guest appearance by Gary Oak, the up and coming Pokémon Trainer, accompanied by a squad of his adoring and adorable fans!”

“What’s he doing here? He’s not a girl either!”

Gary grabbed a microphone. “Ash, I know you’re out there, whether in the crowd or watching on TV! I didn’t come here to make you jealous of me, Ash. I came here so some of my beautiful fan members could make you jealous of me!”

The girls all shouted, “Gary, Gary, he’s our man! He’ll crush Ash! We know he can!”

“Thank you, fans! Great cheer!” Gary then glared at the nearest camera. “So, you watching, Ash?”

“What a jerk. I get why Ash hates him so much,” I grumbled. However, I faced a more annoying problem than Gary Oak.

The six cheerleaders at Gary’s side received lots of cheers, whistles, and claps from the audience. “Not one, not two, but six beautiful girls on stage all at once! Choosing the most beautiful is going to be tough, but it’s a good kind of tough!”

The cheerleaders definitely got a stronger reaction than myself, Jessie, or James did.

Hiding backstage, I sighed and sadly pat my chest. “With a build-up like that, nobody won’t even give me a second look…” Luxio gave me a look. “Don’t give me that! You can tell they’re all bigger than me. I don’t even stand a chance...”

Out of nowhere, Pikachu went off on me. She felt disappointed that I gave up so easily to a few shallow girls. Pidgeotto and Charmander agreed with her. “Oh, drop it already. I’m not even close to one girl’s level of beauty. There’s no way I stand a chance against six!”

Pikachu asked where my normal level of confidence went.

“Don’t act like you can’t hear all the whistling!” I stood up. “I’m going back to the—”

“Rosa!”

Turning around, we watched Paul approach. “Oh, it’s you,” I groaned. “What do you want? Shouldn’t you’d be out there in the crowd?”

“Why? Because I’m a guy?”

“Yes.”

He rolled his eyes. “This may come as a shock to you, but I’m not driven by manly urges like the rest of those pigs out there.”

“Still, even you’re smart enough to notice the difference between someone like me and someone like them.” I pointed back towards the stage.

“Well… yeah, I noticed that, but…”

“But what?! Look! I only did this to try winning that money for Ryu. I did what I could, but clearly that’s not enough.” I marched right past him. “Now, just leave me alone. Let me leave and go back to the water.”

“I noticed something else: your lack of confidence!”

“Man, you and Pikachu both just won’t drop that, will ya?!”

“Of course not!” He grabbed my arm to stop me. “It’s gone, completely. That’s not like you at all, Rosa.”

“What do you know about me?”

“I know you well enough. You never just give up in an instant like this. Where’s the girl who challenged three Gym Leaders to three consecutive battles with one Pokémon? And the girl who stubbornly refused to change her lineup against Lt. Surge? That’s you, not this!”

After a moment, I sighed. “That’s when I was with Pokémon.”

“Huh?”

I yanked my arm from his grasp. “When it comes to Pokémon, I’m confident as hell, but beyond that, my confidence just packs up and leaves.”

“Aren’t you confident about everything?”

“No…” Feeling sadness consume my body, I sat down on my knees. “I mean, I’m not good at everything. It’s like you said down at the beach. My body isn’t much to look at, right?”

He staggered. “Is that what this is about? What I said?”

“It’s not just you. It’s everyone, and everything...” It took a moment for me to continue talking. Luxio came over and brushed against my hands. I scratched his head. “Paul, did you ever wonder  _ why _ I have the dream that I do?”

“You mean why you want to become World Champion?”

I nodded.

“Why?”

“So I can have some confidence. _Real_ _confidence_. I’ve always been put down for everything I do, and everything that I am. My green eyes, my long hair, my Electric-type preference, being too skinny. Bullies just seemed to always target me for some reason. It’s been that way since I was little.

“But one day, I learned about Pokémon Champions. They appealed to me because of their skills, and the way they earn everyone’s respect. I always thought that if I became as strong as them, or stronger, then I could stop feeling so inferior.”

“Why don’t you just ignore everyone?”

“Ignoring it won’t make it go away. Believe me, I’ve tried.” A tear dripped onto my hand. I rushed to get rid of it without Paul seeing. “Being up on that stage was a nightmare. I thought it’d be alright if I ended up winning since I’d be helping out Ryu.

“It’s just, once all those other girls showed up, I felt like crawling into a hole forever. It felt so incredibly uncomfortable…” I trailed off, stuffing my face into my arms.

After a moment, Paul gave a sigh. “Well, I guess staying back here wasn’t pointless.”

“What do you—?”

His jacket fell down around my head again. “Wear that.” Paul sat down beside me.

I looked over at him. “Why?”

“You said you were uncomfortable. See if wearing that makes you feel better.”

After a moment, I accepted the jacket and put it on. Then, I gazed at him from the corner of my eye. The faint image of Wartortle telling me to talk to Paul appeared in my head, and somehow I felt drawn to that idea.  _ At least start by being friends, I suppose.  _ “Hey, Paul?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry for snapping at you so much.”

He just waved it off. “Ah, don’t worry. I think I deserved it a little.”

“Still, it was unfair. I’m not very used to people helping me.”

“You mean… like friends?”

“Yeah. I don’t have a lot of those.”

He guiltily looked away. “Sorry. I bet that gets hard.”

“It does.” Luxio suddenly jumped into my lap and purred against my face. “But that just makes me love these guys so much more. With Pokémon, I always feel better. They’re the reason I’ve been able to last this long. You see, becoming PWC isn’t just a way to feel better about myself. It’s also a way to get closer to Pokémon.” Pikachu, Charmander, and Pidgeotto crowded around me, fighting for my affection.

Paul sat back to avoid getting tackled. “That makes sense why it’s so special to you then.”

Nuzzling Charmander, I smiled over at him. “I hope whenever you get a goal, Paul, it’ll be just as special, if not more.”

He sharply turned away. “Tch. Well, it’s not like I need your blessing or anything.”

I laughed.

“You know,” Paul cleared his throat before continuing, “just so you’re aware, when you were out there, you—”

Suddenly, we heard screams of terror from outside. “What’s going on?!” I asked, looking through the curtains.

A Gyarados charged up and down the beach. People ran away from it in a panic, hoping to avoid becoming a meal. I raced out onto the stage to get a better look. The Pokémon struck me as odd, however. I noticed it lacked the natural movements of a real Gyarados, considering I own one. Adding to my suspicions, a piece of equipment stuck out of Gyarados’s back: a periscope!

“What’s a Gyarados doing up on land?!” Paul asked.

“Gyarados  _ are _ capable of going on land, but that’s not the issue here.”

“Then what is?!”

Ignoring him, I saw Gary with the microphone still in his hands. It ripped away from his grasp in seconds. “Hey!” he whined. “Who do you think—?!”

“Sorry. I need this for a second.” Then, I held up the mic and shouted to the panicked crowd. “Everyone, please calm down! That’s not a real Gyarados! It’s a fake! I repeat! Please calm down! That’s a fake! It’s just a submarine being driven by someone!”

The frightened audience heard my warnings and quickly calmed down.

“How do you know that?” Paul asked.

I kept my attention on the robot. “Everyone, just remain where you are! Leave it to me!”

Off to my side, Gary suddenly laughed. “You must be Rosa, right?”

“Lucky guess, but I’m a little busy here at the moment!”

“It’s nice to finally meet someone as pathetic as Ash.”

I whipped around. “What’d you say?! I’ll battle you once we’re done here!”

“I’d love to battle, but I only brought my fans with me.”

“Chicken!”

“Why would I be scared of having a battle with an amateur Trainer like you?”

I nearly lunged at him. “Oh, I’ll—”

Paul held me back. “Take it easy, Rosa. Don’t pay any attention to what he says!”

“But Paul—”

The Gyarados submarine suddenly launched a missile. Paul grabbed my head and pointed it away from Gary. “Focus on the missile please!”

I nodded. “Right!”

Gary laughed. “So, now what are you going to do, Rosa? Run away?”

“In your dreams. Charmander, Pidgeotto, let’s go!” Charmander and Pidgeotto raced forward. My bird picked up my lizard in her talons, charging straight at the missile. “Give it your Flamethrower!” Charmander blasted the missile with a powerful stream of fire.

The missile suddenly changed course, and it headed back to its sender. The Gyarados submarine furiously attempted to get away, but it crashed into Brutella’s restaurant. When the missile crashed into the building, everything got blown to bits.

“Serves her right,” I hissed.

The crowd suddenly cheered and clapped for me, leaving me in an awkward spot.

★

With Brutella completely out of business, Ryu no longer owed her a debt, and kept his boat without any worries. Paul and I saw Ryu off on his boat, who offered to give Delia and the Professor a lift back to the mainland. “Be careful out there!” Paul yelled.

“Goodbye! Let’s meet again somewhere, Ryu!” I called with a wave.

Ryu waved back to us. “Thank you, Rosa. Paul. And to all your Pokémon! You guys continue having a good journey.”

“You too, Ryu! Take care!”

Professor Oak shouted, “Goodbye, kids!”

“Take care, Rosa!” Delia called.

“We will! Goodbye!” I hollered back.

Before I knew it, the three disappeared on the horizon.

“You know…” Paul began, “...I know you weren’t very comfortable up on stage.”

I shot him a glare. “What? Did you just figure that out? Of course, I wasn’t! I mean, those girls totally showed me up out there…”

“But still...” He nervously scratched his cheek. I gazed at him as he continued, “you looked pretty. I liked that flower in your hair.”

My cheeks felt extremely hot. I shakily clutched the new beach ball in my hands, feeling strangely upset. “See how pretty this looks!” I threw the beach ball at Paul’s head. The force of the hit sent him flying backward into the sand.

He sat up and winced. “Wow, you have a good throw…”

“So anyway,” I began, “want to go swimming? I think there’s enough light left to look for a Gyarados, and afterward, I want to break open a watermelon or two.”

“Well, I could go for some watermelon.” Rubbing his head, Paul cracked a smile. “Sure, sounds like a plan, Girlie.”

I smiled back. “Don’t call me that.”

Paul’s words replayed in my head the rest of the day.  _ “You looked pretty… _ ” Those few words made my day that much better.


	15. Tentacool and Tentacruel

“Blue sky. White clouds. Open ocean,” Paul muttered.

Luxio roared at us, pointing out a cargo ship leaving the harbor.

“I wish we could take one of those boats, too,” I replied, gazing up at the fluffy clouds.

We spent the last three days playing in the sun. During that time, Paul and I thoroughly explored the bay, played several rounds of volleyball, smashed over a dozen watermelons, and built a sand city. And of course, we did it all with our Pokémon.

Now, bored expressions masked our faces as we lazed around the port. I wondered how to spend the remaining hours before our ferry arrived.

Suddenly, Pikachu pointed out at the water and tugged on my shirt.

A small blue seahorse stared back at us. “Oh, a Horsea! It’s cute,” I beamed.

“Seriously, is that all you girls think of Pokémon?” Paul groaned, lying beside me.

“We’ve been over this before. The answer is the same.” I punched him in the gut.

“On second thought, definitely not a girl—” He received a kick this time.

I pulled out my Pokédex to scan Horsea. “ _ Horsea the Dragon Pokémon. If it senses any danger, it will vigorously spray water or a special type of ink from its mouth. When in a safe location, they can be seen playfully tangling their tails together. _ ”

“It looks injured,” Paul noted.

Horsea had a black eye and scratches covering its tiny body.

The sight broke my heart. “And there isn’t a Pokémon Center anywhere on the island.”

Suddenly, Horsea sprayed ink all over the water’s surface. It then cried out to us.

“What do you think it’s trying to say?” Paul asked.

I found an empty Poké Ball in my bag. “For now, healing its wounds comes first. I’ll catch it to make it easy—”

An explosion shook the ground. The cargo ship just exploded, snapping in half like a toothpick. A plume of smoke rose into the air, fueled by a massive fire. The sailors on board dived into the water to escape the roaring flames.

“What the hell happened to that ship?!” Paul shouted.

I didn’t hesitate to help. “Go, Zubat, Wartortle, Butterfree, and Pidgeotto! Save the people from the ship!” My Pokémon all hurried to save the sailors.

Paul gave me a look. “Don’t you have any Water-types besides Wartortle?”

With a frown, I revealed the Poké Ball containing  _ that _ Pokémon. “Well, I do, but I’m scared to use it.”

“Scared?”

“Ah, forget it! Anyways, where’s your water Pokémon?”

He turned away. “If you recall, my Gyarados search hasn’t gone well.”

I wanted to punch him. “Then what are you harassing me for?!” The Poké Ball just stared me down, as though it had eyes burning a hole in my heart. “Well, alright. I guess you get to learn the identity of my newest Pokémon. Sorry, I never mentioned it until now.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Throw the damn ball already!”

“Poké Ball, go!” I chucked the ball into the air and watched Gyarados dive into the water.

Paul’s jaw hit the ground. “ _ You have a Gyarados?! _ ”

“By some miracle, yeah.” My Pokémon sat in the water, staring right at me. It took a lot of guts not to run away from those eyes. “Okay, Gyarados, I need you to go help out the others and save the people on that ship!”

He didn’t do anything.

All of a sudden, Gyarados pulled his head back and launched a Hyper Beam in my direction. I ducked to avoid getting incinerated.

“Why’s it attacking us?!” Paul barked.

“I’ve only had him for a few days now! Gyarados, return!” I recalled Gyarados before he could do any more damage. Afterward, it suddenly felt like I went and ran a marathon. “But we didn’t get off to an excellent start... I caught it so that it wouldn’t attack...”

“So, when you said a Gyarados attacked you after escaping the St. Anne…?”

I rubbed the back of my head. “Same Gyarados...”

Paul smacked his forehead. “Oh, you’ve got to be kidding…”

I smacked him. “Oh, forget about Gyarados! We have to help those guys now!”

We borrowed a speedboat and hurried over to the wreckage. My Pokémon dragged the crew members out of the water. “Everyone, bring them over to us!” I called.

They brought over a total of six men.

We checked each one for any significant injuries. “I’m p...p...paralyzed…” muttered one of the sailors.

“Just what happened out there?” Paul asked.

The sailor twitched. “The…The boss! Need to te…tell the boss what happened...”

I looked at him sadly and gazed back at the water where the boat sunk. A construction site sat two feet away from it, and underneath, who knows?

It concerned me.

★

We made it back to the docks. Paul took care of the sailors’ injuries, using medicine to heal their paralysis. I recalled everyone except Wartortle and Butterfree. “We’ll need your help taking these guys back to their boss,” I said.

Suddenly Luxio called, standing near the water.

We all found a Horsea just in front of us, the same Horsea from before. I couldn’t possibly ignore the black eye. “Hi, Horsea. Listen. The water seems to be a little dangerous, and you’re already hurt. I want to put you somewhere safe and heal those wounds. Will you let me?”

Horsea responded by jumping right into my arms. It made me smile.

I found a kiddie pool at a nearby store, for cheap. Wartortle filled it with water. After I treated Horsea with medicine, I placed it in the pool. Then I went to Luxio and Pikachu. “Can you two stay here and watch Horsea for us? Paul and I are going to take these sailors back to their boss.”

Luxio and Pikachu gave a salute.

“Thanks, cadets! We’ll be back in no time!”

Grotle used Vine Whip to carry three men on his back. Butterfree used her Confusion to lift two more into the air. Paul and Wartortle teamed up together to bring the final sailor. I led the way.

The men directed us back to a hotel near the docks. We met the manager, and she scarily resembled Brutella, the old lady we competed against for customers the other day. “I’m the president!” she laughed, getting in our faces.

Paul and I jumped back in horror.

She gave a toothy grin. “It seems you’ve rescued my employees. I’m grateful, so very grateful!”

“Um, didn’t we meet back on the beach the other day?” I nervously asked.

“You must be talking about my cousin, Brutella!”

“Your cousin?” Paul repeated.

She quickly changed the subject. “I’m creating a grand resort that won’t be compared to the likes of Acapulco.”

“You mean that’s what all that construction out on the water is?” I asked.

“Of course! The greatest of structures, the super gorgeous, massive hotel: Nastina’s Paradise! Inside the structure is a suite room surrounded by the world’s most beautiful coral reef.

“However, those disruptive Tentacool keep getting in the way of construction!”

“Tentacool?” Paul muttered.

I nodded and said, “Well, that would make sense, based on the symptoms of all those men we rescued.”

Nastina angrily stomped on the ground. “It’s because of them that the tourists are all flowing into Acapulco. Why do such despicable creatures like that exist, I don’t know?!”

Something snapped inside me. “Despicable?!”

She furiously tapped her cane against the ground. “They’re super slimy and ugly. You can’t eat them, and they’re getting in the way of my profits!” She pointed her cane straight at Paul and me, making us flinch. “You fine people! I admire that rescue with your Pokémon! With faith in such skills, will you undertake a jellyfish extermination? Of course, it won’t be for free.”

“What do you mean?” Paul and I both asked.

“If you succeed, you can have a smörgåsbord of fine dinners all around the world for a year. Also a cash prize of one million dollars! And a year’s worth of free hotel stays! All you have to do is exterminate those stupid jellyfish! What will you do?”

Not even hesitating, I shouted, “We refuse!” at the top of my lungs and then stormed out of the room.

“Rosa!” Paul called. I ignored him.

★

Nastina’s villainous plot sickened me. I fumed as I marched back to the docks. “She’s as brutal as Brutella,” I growled to Butterfree perched atop my head. “Wanting to exterminate the Tentacool just because they’re interfering with business? That’s as low as you can go.”

There was a shout from behind me. “Rosa, wait up!”

Paul raced up to me, with Grotle and Wartortle at his side. “What are you so mad about?”

“Doesn’t that old hag drive you insane?”

He weakly joked, “Well, I don’t like those types either…”

My hands balled into fists, and I stomped my foot against the ground. “Saying all those things about the Tentacool, wanting to kill them. Even though they’re super cute...”

“They’re cute?”

He used his Pokédex to look up a picture of Tentacool: a blue jellyfish with two brown tentacles and bright red gems on their heads. “ _ Tentacool the Jellyfish Pokémon. It drifts aimlessly in waves. Very difficult to see in the water, you may not notice it until it stings. _ ”

Paul grimaced. “Well, leave it to you to call something like this cute.”

“It’s more than that, though! They’re not malicious Pokémon. They’re usually sweet and adorable. For Tentacool to be attacking people, there must be a deeper meaning behind it than pure anger.”

“Are you sure about that? I mean, they aren’t even appealing in the slightest.”

“I can’t understand how you don’t get their charm. A Tentacool is just as amazing as a Horsea, or even a Pikachu.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Is that true? I thought you were a fan of electric-types.”

“I am, but I like water-types, too. And dark-types, and—”

“Oh, I get it!” A lightbulb appeared over his head. “You like Tentacool so much because they’re practically infesting the waters around Sunyshore City.”

“Seriously? That’s how you’re going to word it?”

He shrugged.

I rolled my eyes.

We made it back to the docks. Pikachu and Luxio relaxed in the kiddie pool alongside the rescued Horsea. It splashed around in the water, looking far healthier than when we left. “Horsea!” I called, dashing over to them. “How are you feeling?”

It cheerfully cried back at me.

“That potion seems to be doing the trick,” Paul said.

I hugged the little Pokémon. “Thank goodness.” Horsea suddenly wriggled against my body, whinnying out. “What? What are you trying to tell me?” It tried explaining itself as best it could.

“You know, didn’t that ink picture earlier look like a Tentacool? Maybe it was warning us about them, and about the ship sinking?”

“Horsea, is that right?” It nodded its head.

Suddenly, a grouchy voice boomed out over the speakers all around the port. “ _ Listen very carefully, everyone! _ ”

“It’s Nastina,” Paul said.

Nastina’s voice startled Horsea right out of my arms.

“ _ Effective immediately, I’m looking for some brave volunteers to exterminate Porta Vista’s natural enemy, the Tentacool! _ ”

“Exterminate?!” I hollered in anger.

“ _ To whoever exterminates the jellyfish Pokémon, how would you like a prize of one million dollars? Now isn’t Nastina generous?! _ ”

“So she’s finally using force, huh?” Paul muttered, disgust clear in his voice.

“ _ Everyone who wants cash—I mean, who cares about the development of our beautiful city, please gather at Hutber Port’s yacht harbor! _ ”

I snorted and wagged my finger. “Trying to lure people with money in this era of great wealth? How ridiculous.”

Suddenly, a crowd came charging right down the road towards us like a Tauros stampede. “Well, apparently, there are plenty that fell for it!” Paul shouted.

Our Pokémon jumped to either side of the street and watched us get trampled.

Lots of men and women rushed to the harbor to accept Nastina’s offer. They all looked ready to do absolutely anything if it meant winning one million dollars. “I’m going to be sick,” I groaned with a hand over my mouth, getting up from the ground with sore arms and legs.

A tank rolled up the street. Nastina jumped out of it, holding a megaphone so everyone could hear her. “All you fine ladies and gentlemen, who will be the one to get the one million dollar reward?”

Suddenly, a boat sped over to the harbor. A man and woman jumped out, throwing roses out into the crowd. I used Paul as a stepping stone to get a look, recognizing their red and blue hair, and the talking Meowth at their side. “It’s Team Rocket!” I barked.

“You seem reliable!” Nastina cheered.

Paul frowned. “You should exterminate  _ them _ .”

Jessie and James pointed out that Nastina looked strikingly similar to Brutella. She got mad and fired a warning shot with her tank. “I’m her talented cousin, got it?! Mistake me for her, and I can assure you the Tentacool will be the least of your concerns!”

Paul glanced at me. “She sounds a lot like you when you get offended.”

I glared at him. “Mistake me for Brutella, and I can assure  _ you _ the Tentacool will be the least of your concerns.”

Jessie and James pulled off a wide smile. “How rude of us!” Jessie apologized.

“Anyway, if you’re requesting jellyfish extermination, just say the word and leave it to us, the reliable Team Rocket!” James cheered.

Nastina seemed happy with their offer. “Give me a splendid Tentacool extermination, and the money’s as good as yours.”

“Then, make sure to keep the prize money warm for us!” Meowth laughed. The trio jumped back into their boat and raced away.

“This won’t end well,” I frowned, thinking about all the possible ways Team Rocket could make this situation much worse.

“What do you mean?” Paul said.

I just gazed at the ground.

The Team Rocket boat approached the hotel construction site, where the Tentacool attacks seemed to happen most frequently. They brought out a huge barrel full of an unknown material. Jessie and James planned to use the substance to help catch the Tentacool and then turn them into something they can sell at the fish market for an easy profit.

It made me sick. “I can’t watch.”

Paul looked over at me. “Come on. It’s Team Rocket. Based on their Gyarados performance yesterday, just how much harm can they actually—?”

Suddenly, horrified gasps and murmurs from the crowd pulled our attention back to Team Rocket. Thousands of angry Tentacool surrounded their boat, identified by the red glowing lights from the gems on their heads.

Someone screamed, “That’s a lot of Tentacool!”

“All of those are Tentacool?” shouted another, counting at least ten thousand.

One of the Tentacruel blasted the boat with a red beam of energy, quickly destroying the ship. Team Rocket flew into the air. Their barrel landed on the same Tentacool that attacked them. Instead of damaging it, the liquid made Tentacool evolve into a Tentacruel.

Only one problem: Tentacruel stood one hundred times taller than a normal one!

“AHHH!” Paul and I screamed, alongside all other spectators.

Tentacruel immediately took out its anger on the hotel construction site, reducing it to rubble with one flick of its tentacle. The crowd around us quickly dispersed out of fear for their lives.

“How can this be? Tentacruel can never reach more than two meters!” Paul shouted.

I checked it on the Pokédex. “ _ Tentacruel the Jellyfish Pokémon, and the evolved form of Tentacool. Its numerous tentacles serve as a powerful weapon, and it's potent stingers can quickly paralyze its victims. It is known as ‘The Gangster of the Sea.’  _ ”

“That must be the gang leader,” I muttered.

“How dare you do that to my hotel! Shoot it, shoot it!” Nastina barked. She fired a round from her tank. The shell bounced off the Tentacruel’s head. Now piissed off, Tentacruel glared over at the disturbance.

Nastina glared right back. “Return my hotel to normal!”

Suddenly, the mass of Tentacool swarmed the harbor, smothering Nastina in their sliminess. Tentacruel then flung itself across the bay towards Hutber Port, bringing a massive wave along with it. Paul tugged on my arm. “We have to get out of here!”

“No, we’ve got to protect Tentacruel! It’s in trouble!” I replied.

“Idiot, we are too! Don’t you see the tsunami coming?” He pulled harder, forcing me to run after him.

Tentacruel rushed into the city, crashing into buildings and flooding the entire town with the tidal wave. It gave an excellent opening for the Tentacool to enter and start destroying everything in sight. Nastina tried fighting them off, but she just got swept away by the water.

Paul and I took refuge in an observatory overlooking the town and the jellyfish going on their citywide rampage. Other citizens joined us or found other high places. Unfortunately, it was clear not everybody avoided the tidal wave in time as we all stood there and watched the attack unfold.

“This is what Horsea tried warning us about earlier!” Paul said.

“But why? Just why? If they do something like this, they’ll really be considered despicable,” I said, watching Tentacruel tear a skyscraper in half. Luxio and Pikachu shuddered in fear, hiding behind my legs. “It’s not like any of us can fight something that big.”

From behind us, someone yelled, “Hey, look up there!”

Looking at one of Tentacruel’s tentacles, Team Rocket’s Meowth was in its tight grip. He seemed unconscious, and Jessie and James weren’t anywhere in sight. “Is that Meowth?” Paul asked.

A Tentacool crawled up onto Meowth’s head and placed both of its tentacles over his eyes. Meowth started talking in a deeper, creepier voice than the one I remember. It made me shiver. “Are they using him as a mouthpiece?!” I asked.

Meowth shouted, “ **We are the Tentacool and Tentacruel! You humans have wrecked our home. For that reason, you’ll be watching as we destroy your home as well. You have no right to complain about us destroying your world, as you have so cruelly tried to destroy ours!** ”

“By homes, I wonder if they meant where that hotel is being built?” Paul guessed. “On the coral reef?”

With the realization hitting me, I staggered back. “That’s what Horsea wanted to warn us about!” I fell to my knees in despair, thinking back to Horsea, desperately trying to communicate with us.

“Rosa, don’t let it get to you. None of this is your fault.”

“Yes, it is!” I retorted. “I should’ve understood Horsea’s feelings, and what it needed to tell me. And I wanted to become a great Pokémon Trainer…”

Suddenly, someone screamed.

Tentacruel threw a giant tentacle in our direction, destroying the front half of the observatory. Paul and I jumped away to avoid becoming collateral damage.

We heard whinnying.

Tentacruel turned around. “ **Is that you again, Horsea?** ”

“Horsea?!” I gasped, watching their argument.

Meowth shouted, “ **No matter what you say, Horsea, this cannot be stopped! We’re teaching humans the pain of losing one’s home.** ” Horsea vigorously shook its head. “ **With a spineless attitude like yours, we’d only let the humans get even more cruel and inconsiderate to those around them.** ” Horsea barked at Tentacruel. “ **It’s us who are the spineless ones? I’m going to make you regret that!** ” Tentacruel slapped Horsea, sending it flying.

I screamed and reached for Pidgeotto’s Poké Ball.

“Fearow, catch it!” Paul yelled, releasing a massive bird into the air.

“A Fearow?” I muttered in surprise, gazing over at Paul.

Fearow caught Horsea in its talons and brought it over to us, releasing it into my arms.

Horsea looked all beat up again. It shivered in pain, in my arms, after seeing its life flash before its eyes. “I’m sorry, Horsea. You got all beat up just for us humans. Thank you.” I gently squeezed it. “I just wish there was some way I can fight right alongside you, but I can’t do anything…”

Suddenly, Pikachu and Luxio jumped out beside me. “You… What are you saying?”

“They want to fight,” Paul answered.

I stared at my Pokémon. “You...do?” They both nodded. Their bravery amazed me.

Paul took out several Poké Balls. “Count me in too.”

Now I was surprised! “Paul?”

“Standby for battle, Grotle!” He summoned his starter Pokémon.

“Grotle too?” Grotle nudged my shoulder, forcing out a laugh. “Yes, I’m fine... Well, now I am, anyway.”

“Grotle hit Tentacruel with Energy Ball!” Grotle opened its mouth and fired a steady stream of bright green balls of energy, quickly getting Tentacruel’s attention.

Paul called out his Beedrill and Ivysaur, asking me to summon my Pokémon too. I brought Pidgeotto, Wartortle, Zubat, and Butterfree into the battle, plus Pikachu and Luxio. Paul ordered the flying Pokémon to carry the non-flyers down to the ground, and then told everyone to use their attacks to chase the Tentacool back into the ocean.

The crowd cheered as our Pokémon began their counterattack, all listening to Paul without a moment of hesitation.

“Wow,” I muttered.

Horsea agreed.

Suddenly getting a strong urge to fight, I looked at the little blue Pokémon. “I want to fight too, but my way. Will you come with me?” It nodded. While Paul fought the Tentacool, I left the building with Horsea, heading to a skyscraper still partially intact.

Tentacruel got more and more frustrated in dealing with our Pokémon. “ **You are Pokémon, yet you assist the humans?** ” He swatted away any of the Pokémon within range, though they never seemed to give up. “ **Pokémon or not, allying yourselves with humans makes you our enemies.** ”

While climbing up the tower, I saw Pikachu and Luxio approach Tentacruel on Fearow’s back. They tried persuading Tentacruel to calm down, explaining why it shouldn’t take out all of its anger. It didn’t work too well, as Tentacruel nearly attacked them.

Reaching the top of the skyscraper, I ran over to the ledge and shouted at the top of my lungs, “Please, stop, Tentacruel! Please, take everyone with you and go back to the ocean!”

Looking away from Luxio and the others, Tentacruel turned to look me in the eyes. It scared me to stand underneath the pressure of its stern gaze, but I found the strength to remain on my feet.

“Please, listen to me, Tentacruel! This is more than enough! You’ve made your feelings clear, and we understand now that we’ve hurt you!”

Tentacruel looked around at the many frightened faces attacked moments ago.

Understanding Tentacruel’s pain, I nearly cried. “We won’t invade your homes and destroy them anymore! We’re truly sorry, so please!”

After a long moment, Tentacruel held up Meowth. He said, “ **The next time, we won’t stop with just this city. Remember this well.** ” He then tossed Meowth away, before retreating to the ocean with the Tentacool army.

Suddenly, Nastina appeared from nowhere and pulled out a rocket launcher. “You think you can get away after everything you’ve done to me! You’re nothing but jellyfish! You’re reimbursing me!” She fired a rocket, hitting Tentacruel on the back of the head. It angrily looked back at Nastina. “I’ll capture you, throw you in a tank, and charge admission! Eat lead, Squidward!”

I stood back in shock. “She didn't get the message, did she?” Fearow and Pidgeotto flew down beside me. “Can you guys get me down there?” With two nods of their heads, I grabbed their legs. “Hey, Horsea, do you think you can hit Nastina with some of that ink?” It poked its head out of my bag and nodded.

We flew down to the harbor. Once within range, Horsea used its ink to blotch Nastina’s face. “What the hell did you do to my beautiful face?!” Nastina screamed.

Landing on a rock nearby, I glared at her. “You don’t get it, do you?! The things you’re doing are causing bad things for humans and Pokémon alike!”

“You little brat!” She aimed her rocket launcher at me!

“Bitch, I’ll show you a brat! Go, Gyarados!” Gyarados landed on the ground, inches away from Nastina. “I’ve got something for you to destroy. Hit that old hag with the best Hyper Beam you can muster!” Without question, Gyarados pulled his head back and launched one of the best Hyper Beams ever. The attack sent Nastina flying into the remnants of her hotel, causing an explosion to destroy anything that was left.

Recalling Gyarados, I stuck my tongue out, hoping that would be the last of Nastina.

Tentacruel turned and continued towards the water. It calmly slipped into the blue sea, returning to standard size. I gazed at it. “Thank you, Tentacruel. I promise these people won’t forget.”

★

That evening, Paul and I finally boarded a ferry back to the mainland. On the Lido deck, I stood near the rear of the vessel, watching the sunset as we sailed away from Porta Vista. I looked at the Pokédex entry on Tentacruel. “I suddenly really want to catch one now,” I said to Luxio and Pikachu.

They both agreed.

“So much for ‘Gangster of the Sea.’ Maybe all gangsters are just hurting on the inside.”

A voice laughed, “But they’re all probably not cute like a Tentacruel.”

I looked back, watching Paul approach. “True.”

He came up and leaned on the handrail beside me. “So, after today, do you still think something like that’s cute?”

“Of course.”

Paul frowned, looking a little disgusted.

I fished a Poké Ball out of my bag, containing the latest addition to my team. “But right now, I think Horsea is cuter. Come out!” Horsea popped out of his Poké Ball and happily fell into my arms. Then I spun and made a peace sign with a wide grin. “Yeah, I caught a Horsea!”

Paul gave me a look. “What’s with the pose?”

“It’s my victory pose. It feels good. You should try it.”

He scoffed. “No, thanks. I’m good without one.”

“So be it. Oh, right. Catch.” I tossed him one of my Poké Balls.

He nearly dropped it. “What’s this for?”

“It’s not empty if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“Are you giving me a Pokémon? Which one are you…?” He stopped, gazing down.

I laughed at his face. “You did come to the island to catch one, remember?”

His eyes widened. “Gyarados?!”

“It’s yours.”

He looked a little suspicious. “What’s the catch?”

I waved my hands. “Why does there have to be one? I just felt like you could handle it better than I could. Honest.”

He held the Poké Ball out to me. “Yeah, but—”

I pushed his hand back. “No buts! Just take it!” I smiled. “It’s thanks for today.”

After a moment, he nodded his head. “Well, okay. Thank you.”

“Anytime. Now, I’m starving. Let’s head over to get some food before all the good stuff goes away. Who’s with me?” Pikachu, Luxio, Grotle, and Horsea all jumped for joy.

Before I could walk off, Wartortle popped out of his Poké Ball to stop me. “What’s wrong?”

He gave me a look, nodding back at Paul.

My face burst into flames. “Not the time, Wartortle!”

“What are you both going on about?” Paul grumbled.

“Nothing! Wartortle’s just  _ very _ hungry, so why don’t we go eat already?”

After a moment, Paul smirked. “You’re weird, Girlie.” He walked away.

“Don’t call me that!” I chased after him.


	16. A Girl's Curse

The sun rose on another beautiful day. I got up early, racing out onto the deck with Luxio and Pikachu. We stared out past the front of the ship, and I spotted a landmark. “Hey, I can see the port!” I cheered.

“That’s Maiden’s Peak, the place we’re docking at,” Paul said, coming up beside me.

“How much longer until we get there?”

He grinned. “Might want to tone down the excitement. They said it’d be another hour until we’re fully docked and able to leave the boat.”

“Another hour?!” My head fell on the handrail. “That’s just great. I’m tired of being out on the water.”

“Well, no matter how much you complain—which is a lot—the ship can’t go any faster.”

I sat down right on the deck. “Thanks for cheering me up.”

He grinned. “No problem, Girlie.”

I tried kicking his leg, but he stepped out of the way. “Don’t call me that!”

“Whatever.” He set his bag down beside me. “I’m going to get some breakfast. Any requests?”

“Lots of fruit. I want to get my pineapple fill while it’s still summer.”

“Got it. Be back in a bit.” He walked away.

Propping myself on my arms, I sighed. “He’s a handful.”

Luxio and Pikachu curled up at my sides, agreeing with slow nods.

Unfortunately, Wartortle popped out of his Poké Ball. He brought an interrogation upon me, demanding to know why I haven’t talked to Paul yet. “You know why. It’s not a very easy discussion, you know. I mean, I’m practically asking him to be my friend.”

He raised his eyebrow.

“Yes, it is difficult! I don’t have the level of charisma that you do, apparently.”

Wartortle asked the worst that could happen.

“Geez, I don’t know. He could refuse and insult every ounce of my being. Man, I’d settle for him just calling me  _ pathetic _ . It seems to be gentler than the rest of his vocabulary.” I looked at the second bag lying at my side. “I’m terrified. I’ve never asked anyone to be my friend, or at least, I’ve never done it and had it go well.”

Wartortle wanted to know what I meant.

Luxio explained to him my bullying problem as a child.

Suddenly, Wartortle looked a tad guilty.

I rubbed his head. “It’s alright. I know you’re just trying to help. You and I both understand that Paul is a decent guy. He’d be someone enjoyable to have as a friend, and we all trust him enough. Plus, whether he admits it or not, he’s pretty decent towards Pokémon.

“Look. I’m just scared because I don’t want to be rejected. It’s a common fear, I know, but we all get why it’s so common. Rejection is scary. What if Paul can’t look at me the same after I ask him? I feel like we’re at a point where he’s not constantly sneering in my direction, and vice versa...”

Pikachu suddenly jumped in my face, startling me.

After a long staring contest, she made an evil grin. My cheeks heated up. “No, we all know  _ that _ has nothing to do with it! This is just friendship we’re talking about. Nothing more!”

I sighed. “Just asking someone to be my friend is stressful enough. I can’t even imagine what I’m going to be like asking another person out on a date in the future. Love is just a stupid curse that I’d rather avoid.”

I looked at all three Pokémon, who returned full gazes.

“It’s true! Love is a curse.”

They refused to break eye contact with me, making me sweat bullets. Though my beating heart started to ache, I admitted defeat. “Fine. I’ll do it when we get off the boat. No promises about the outcome, but I  _ promise _ I’ll try.”

“You’ll do what when you get off the boat?” asked a voice.

I jumped ten feet into the air.

Paul stood behind me, laughing.

I sternly glared at him with the intent to kill. “Don’t do that!”

“Sorry, scaredy-cat.” He held out a plate of food.

Grumbling, I stuffed my face with a chocolate chip muffin and lots of pineapple, hoping to calm my nerves.

Another hour went by before the ferry docked at the pier.

As we left the boat, a voice boomed overhead to welcome us into town. “ _ Welcome, travelers from Porta Vista! Right now, Maiden’s Peak is in the midst of the Summer’s End Festival. We invite you all to attend and have fun! _ ”

“A festival?” I muttered.

“We should check it out,” Paul suggested.

My eyes widened. “Really?  _ You _ want to stick around and have fun?”

He made a face. “Well, it sounds like the festival is almost over, and when is the next time we’ll be in Maiden’s Peak anyway?”

I laughed and walked off. “Who are you, and what have you done with Paul?”

“I’m still me, Girlie. Now let’s go.”

“Don’t call me that.” Wartortle let himself out of his Poké Ball again, and I nearly ran into him. He folded his arms but remained silent, making me frown. “Okay, okay.” I took a deep breath. “Here goes.” My head turned slightly to project my voice towards the guy. “Hey, Paul. I need to ask you something.”

Not hearing a snarky comment, I fully turned to my side, hoping to see his stupid face. I didn’t see any sign of him. “Paul? Where’d you—?”

Wartortle tapped my side, pointing back near the boat.

Paul stood still as a post, staring off into the distance.

We approached him. “Uh, Paul? Are you okay?”

“Who’s that?” he muttered.

Hearing him, I gazed in the same direction. A woman stood on the dock with a red flower in her long hair. She wore a beautiful, white dress, and had her back turned to us, her gaze falling on the ocean waves twisting the horizon line.

Paul spat out, “Wow, she’s gorgeous!”

Before I could say anything, a crowd of tourists came racing off the boat. I jumped out of the way in time, but Paul barely noticed; he got trampled by the herd of people. After they left, I rushed to make sure he could get back up again.

Rising to his feet, Paul stared in the same direction as before. “Hey, she’s gone.”

I looked out and noticed that the mysterious woman disappeared. “Weird.”

He made a frown. “I wonder where she went.”

“Oh, cheer up, Paul! You’re the one who wanted to check out the festival! Let’s have some fun!” I dragged him off.

We kicked the day off right with carnival games, contests, and thrilling rides. A music stage hosted local superstars and singing groups, all of which performed with super-flashy outfits. Beautifully decorated vehicles, pampered Pokémon, and more flashy outfits paraded through the center of town.

Everyone had a blast, except the one person who suggested checking out the carnival in the first place. Paul stayed down in the dumps the entire time. It started to get to me around lunchtime, so I hoped that getting him some carnival food would cheer him up.

Paul didn’t even accept the cotton candy I bought for him. He only thought about the girl from the docks.

Luxio and Pikachu ate the cotton candy instead.

Meanwhile, I put a hand on my hip. “I know you liked her, but who knows if you’ll ever see her again?”

“She was really pretty, though,” Paul mumbled.

I looked away and frowned.

When Luxio caught my sad look, he asked about it.

I faked a smile. “Oh, I’m fine. Just considering whether to get a corn dog or a chili dog.”

A woman’s voice called to us, “Hey, you there!”

Paul spun around with a smile. “Are you the—” He fell back in shock after coming face-to-face with a short, old lady. “You’re not beautiful…”

“Who’s not beautiful? Go on, say it!”

He didn’t say anything more.

The old lady examined Paul with a magnifying glass. “Beware. Not an old beauty like me, but of a beautiful young woman, or you’ll meet a cruel fate.”

“Pretty girl? You mean her?” Paul replied, pointing back at me.

_ Did he just…?  _ Blushing, I turned away to hide my face. “Well, pretty or not, I would never do anything to hurt Paul.”

The old lady glared. “I was talking about an elegant, young woman. Not some bratty, little twig!”

“Brat?!” I snarled.

“Very twiggy,” Paul smirked.

I angrily flipped around and sent my fist into his face. “Speaking of which, you’re a brat boy who no girl will ever fall in love with! Come on, let’s go already! I’m not going to stand around and be insulted!” I hauled him away from the old lady.

Paul mumbled to himself. “Beautiful woman… A cruel fate… If it has to do with that girl from the pier, I can take it.”

It made me frown.  _ What’s gotten into Paul? And why is it so upsetting? _

We went to a shrine near the base of Maiden Rock, a cliff where the petrified body of a girl sat at the very top. Obviously the city also got its name from the rock formation. This shrine had been there for thousands of years, and today, something important was happening around it. “There’s a ton of people here. What’s going on?” I said.

Paul and I pushed our way to the front of the crowd.

A short, old mustached man with white hair stood near the entrance of the shrine, right beside a canvas covered by a tarp. After a few moments, he called to the crowd, “Welcome, everyone! To celebrate the Summer’s End Festival, we will now display the Shrine of the Maiden’s greatest treasure!

“For 2,000 years, this painting has hung within the shrine. Once each year, it is removed from the shrine and displayed to the public during this festival. As I unveil the painting, please gaze upon it with reverence.” The exhibitor ripped off the tarp, allowing the audience to gaze in awe.

The portrait contained a beautiful girl with long hair and a lengthy, sleeveless, silk gown. She wore a flower in her hair. The artwork of the maiden took my breath away. It seemed as though I’d seen her before.

Quickly coloring in the girl’s features, I stared out in surprise.  _ The girl from the docks?! _

“But it can’t be,” Paul gasped, staring at the portrait.

I watched Paul take a step towards the painting, completely bewitched. “Uh, Paul?”

“She’s so incredibly beautiful...” He started to irritate me, the way he moved forward like a zombie.

Paul advanced towards the painting, but the old man blocked him. “Stand back! The girl in this painting perished over 2,000 years ago.”

My eyes widened.  _ 2,000?! _

“The girl had a brave and handsome lover. But that man left for war on a ship. The girl waited. She waited, and waited, and continued to wait. But the man didn’t come back.

“Even so, the girl continued to wait. She waited for the man so long that her body merged with the same cliff that she waited on, her body becoming the statue that you all see at the top of the cliff. They say she’s waiting for that man, even today. It’s a 2,000-year-old legend.”

“Where’s that rock right now?!” Paul asked.

The exhibitor gave us directions up the cliff. We went to take a closer look, finding the maiden statue just beyond an old log cabin. The statue sat apart from the cliff, no way to physically reach it unless one figured out how to cover a distance of thirty feet in one jump. “So, that’s Maiden Rock,” Paul muttered. “It’s beautiful.”

I crossed my arms, not able to believe that Paul fawned over a dead 2,000-year-old woman. “It’s just a rock.”

“I don’t care if she’s made of stone. I’m still in love with her.”

I suddenly felt an odd pain in my chest. “Paul, you’re completely—”

Paul suddenly jumped out at the rock. I quickly grabbed his jacket, keeping him rooted to the ground. “If she were my girlfriend, I never would’ve left her side! Nobody could’ve ever taken us apart, no matter what!” His hands flailed dramatically.

Luxio, Pikachu, and I exchanged looks. “What should we do?”

★

We waited on that cliff until well after sunset. I saw the moon high above us, shining down with a peaceful light. Yawning, I went over to Paul, who sat and gazed over at Maiden Rock. “No matter how long we sit here, it’s just a rock. Let’s go back to the festival. This is kind of boring,” I said, slinging my bag over my shoulder.

Paul stayed on the ground with his legs crossed, eyes fixed on the statue. “Why don’t you go on ahead? I want to be here a little longer.”

“You know where we’re staying tonight, right?”

“At the Pokémon Center near the port. I’ll head back before curfew. Just go without me.”

I frowned. “You sure?”

“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine.” He never even turned to look at me.

My heart felt funny, but I ignored the feeling and headed off.

Suddenly, I heard Paul say, “What is it, Pikachu?”

I whipped around. The yellow Pokémon stepped in front of Paul. She brought her right paw down on Paul’s head lightly, in a chopping motion. Paul looked very confused. Pikachu took her paw away and looked at Paul with a concerned frown, pointing back at me.

“What’s she saying?” Paul asked.

I frowned. “She’s letting you know that one of us will hit you if you’re even a minute late.”

Paul scratched Pikachu’s head. “I’ll be fine. And I’ll make it back so Rosa doesn’t hit me.”

Clenching my teeth, I aggressively yanked Pikachu out of his reach. “Let’s go!” I stormed down the hill, very upset.

Luxio commented on how I didn’t correct Paul.

“I don’t care.” We didn’t say anything else.

I thought it best to return to the Pokémon Center. When we did, I asked Nurse Joy to take care of my Pokémon while I took a quick bath. After, we sat on a bench to wait for Paul’s return. Unfortunately, he never showed up. Before I knew it, the clock above our heads announced the time at eleven o’clock.

“It’s curfew,” I muttered, staring at the doors. “And Paul’s nowhere to be seen.”

Suddenly, we heard the doors lock. Large metal shutters covered the windows. “Wait a minute! Paul is still out—”

Nurse Joy grabbed my shirt, keeping me back. “It’s bedtime for you, missy!”

“But…”

“I’m in charge here! Staying up late is bad for your skin. It makes you irritable and it ruins your appetite. I won’t allow it. Now get to bed this instant!”

Unable to fight Nurse Joy, I retreated to my room. While Luxio and Pikachu fell asleep in seconds, I never got a wink of rest that night. I worried too much about Paul, hoping he’d still be on that cliff in the morning.

★

The minute I woke up, I got dressed and rushed out to Maiden Rock, to the spot where Paul had been the night before. To my horror, we couldn’t find him. Luxio, Pikachu, and I searched everywhere. “Paul! Hey Paul! Where are you?”

I hoped maybe he fell asleep behind the bushes, but when we searched the trees nearby, we found no sign of our friend. Someone locked up the cabin from outside, meaning he couldn’t have gone inside. “Oh, man. I hope he isn’t just trying to pop out and scare me,” I groaned.

Luxio and Pikachu both shot me skeptical looks.

“Of course, I’m not worried about him! Why should I? He has more important people to gift with his attention anyway.” Of course, I still frantically looked about. “He could’ve at least said bye.”

I approached the front of the cabin. “Paul! Paul! If you’re not there, say so!”

A woman yelled, “James! Where’d you run off to now?”

Turning, I found myself face-to-face with Jessie and Meowth. “You guys!” I growled.

“Yuck!” Jessie hissed.

“Double yuck!”

“I finally found you,” she then backtracked herself, “grr, wait, damn! You’re not the one we’re trying to find.”

That caught my attention. “Are you looking for someone too?”

Jessie folded her arms. “Prepare for trouble,  **and make it double** ,” Jessie tried to deepen her voice. It made her frown. “Doing this alone is a real drag. Anyways, to protect the world from devastation!” She literally spun in a circle before filling in James’s lines for their motto. “ **To unite all people’s within our nation!** To denounce the evils of truth and love!”

“ _ To extend our reach to the stars above! _ ” a muffled voice called from nearby.

“Jessie?”

“ _ James! _ ” the voice responded.

Meowth and I turned our heads left and right to see where James’s voice came from.

Jessie hollered, “Uh, Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light?”

“ _ Surrender now! _ ” The cabin’s front doors burst open. A disoriented James came flying out. “Surrender now,” he crashed into the ground in front of us, “or prepare...to fight…!”

We all looked at him in shock. “You look awful!” Jessie said.

“Worse than usual,” Meowth said.

Paul suddenly flew out of the cabin, landing beside James disoriented. “I’m here too,” he muttered.

_ I could’ve sworn those doors locked from the outside! _

I grabbed Paul’s shirt and shook him around. “Hey, Paul, what happened? Where the hell were you?” He gave me no response. “Pull yourself together!” I pulled him up into a sitting position while supporting his back.

“Stupid men! Hey, snap out of it!” Jessie barked, slapping James when he hugged her leg.

An old lady stepped up to us and said, “So everything turned out just as I predicted.”

Jessie and I stopped beating up our companions to acknowledge the stranger; well, actually, she wasn’t a stranger at all. “It’s the old lady!” Jessie, Meowth, and I all shouted at the same time.

She pointed her cane at Paul and James. “Those two idiots have both seen the Ghost of the Maiden and become possessed by her.”

We all repeated, “The Ghost of the Maiden?”

Paul and James both seemed lost in their daydreams. They chanted over and over about wanting to see the maiden, her beauty, and how much they loved her. They broke out of our grip and started hugging each other, to everyone’s shock and disgust.

I couldn’t handle the creepiness and motioned for Jessie and Meowth to get back. “It can’t stay like this! Pikachu! Luxio!”

They attacked the two men with a powerful Thunder Bolt combo.

Paul sat up first, looking around like he’d just woken up. “Wha… What’s going on?”

I crouched beside him, waving a hand in his face. “Hey! Do you know who you are?”

Annoyed, he grabbed my hand. “Uh, just what kind of stupid question is that, Girlie? I’m Paul, from Veilstone City.”

“He’s back!” I cheered.

Paul gave me a look. “Huh?”

The old lady took us inside the cabin to explain the situation. “Every year, around this time, all men who pass this way get attacked by the Ghost of the Maiden. They fall under her spell and get everything sucked out of them. It’s always the same story, over and over. We find them here in the temple, left in mummy-like states babbling like idiots.

“It’s the doing of the ghost of that girl who continued to wait for her lover until death. It’s just as I warned you all!”

“Even so, if I could be with that girl…” Paul muttered.

I waved a hand in his face, not getting a single reaction. “Ah! I’ve lost him already!”

“I’m scared! I’m really, really scared!” James cried out.

“It’s not like I don’t have a solution,” said the old lady. We all looked at her. She held up a stack of anti-ghost stickers and placed one on each of the boys’ heads. “ _ Ofuda _ , to ward off any spirits, including the Ghost of the Maiden. However…”

“However?” I asked.

She pulled out a cash box, grinning. “Money is needed to make more.”

I fell over in shock.

Nevertheless, Jessie, Meowth, and I both purchased a large number of stickers. Then I went to post stickers all over the outside walls of the cabin. Jessie and Meowth covered the inside plus the two boys themselves.

Stepping inside to check on Paul, he sat up against James. They both looked like children waiting impatiently to play. “Well, if she thinks this will work, then we’ll post them, post them, and post them some more,” I muttered, making sure Paul had enough stickers on his back. Pikachu slapped a final sticker on his head.

Paul glared at me. “This is a waste of time, Rosa. Just let us go already. I have to see the maiden again.”

Still irritated, I smacked a sticker over his mouth. “Shut up.”

Stepping towards the door, I felt a book of stickers in my hand and looked at them. “I sure hope these stickers work.”

“Me too. The last thing I want is for that 2,000-year-old hag to win.” Jessie came up beside me, placing one final sticker on the door.

I looked back at the boys. “You think they’ll be safe?”

“Only one way to find out.” She grinned slightly. “But either way, we’re not just going to hand them over.”

“True.”

Meowth suddenly ran up to us. “Hey, don’t you go forgetting about Meowth!”

I glared at both Team Rocket members. “Just so we’re clear, this doesn’t excuse anything you three have done.”

“We wouldn’t want it any other way,” Jessie replied, “so let’s show that ghost who truly rules the roost!”

I nodded. “Right!”

★

Soon, it was nighttime again. The old lady sat with Paul and James, performing some quick ritual to bless the stickers. Jessie, Meowth, and I locked up the front doors. Then we sat back in a corner to watch the events of tonight unfold.

“I wonder if she’ll come,” Jessie whispered.

“She better!” Meowth replied.

“If she comes, we’ll be ready,” I said. They both agreed.

The wind suddenly kicked up outside. We heard the stickers get ripped off the outside walls.

When the door blew wide open, we all screamed.

“She’s here!” announced the old lady.

A woman stepped into the cabin, looking identical to the maiden in the picture, just more like a transparent ghost than an actual human. She destroyed the rest of the stickers, including the ones that layered James and Paul.

Reacting quickly, Paul got to his feet. “It’s you!” he gasped, staring at the woman.

She gave a big smile. “I’ve been waiting for you.”

“And I you.”

James started crying. “I’m scared! I’m scared! I’m so very scared!”

“I wanted to meet you,” said the ghost. Then she left the cabin.

Suddenly, Paul floated into the air and headed after the ghost. “Paul!” I yelled, chasing after him.

The ghost moved to her statue, hovering above it. Paul floated in her direction, moving farther and farther from the ground. Rushing forward, my hand darted up and clamped onto Paul’s foot. “Paul! Get back here! Don’t go!”

“Hey, let me go!” He grabbed at my wrists, trying to break my hold on his leg.

Refusing to let go, I bit down on his hand. “I’m not letting go, Paul!” My feet hooked against the guardrail to prevent myself from getting pulled into the air. “Listen! I don’t know what I’ll do if that ghost gets you, but I promise to do everything in my power to stop that from happening! You don’t need a girl like that! You don’t need anyone, really, but especially someone like her! You’re just so strong all by yourself! You should know that!

“So, I don’t want to let you go to someone who isn’t worth your time at all! We’re friends, right?! Friends who don’t leave each other behind! Those kinds of friends, the ones who enjoy meals together, and learn together, and go on adventures together!”

_ What’s going on with me? Why am I holding onto him so tightly? _

“You can’t leave now! I want to stay your friend! Don’t you dare leave me for that...that bitch!” I kept a tight hold on his leg, absolutely refusing to let go. Paul’s lack of a response didn’t surprise me, considering he remained under the ghost’s powerful spell.

“Stop interfering!” barked the ghost, pulling harder on Paul.

I glared at her, tightening my grip. “You stop! I can do this all day!”

Suddenly, James flew past me. I wanted to grab his foot too, but I didn’t react fast enough. “No! Not him too—”

The ghost suddenly had a massive hole blown in her stomach. She lost all concentration, releasing her grip on both men. James fell over the side of the cliff. The momentum of my pull on Paul’s leg sent him flying straight into me. We both crashed into the ground.

Tossing a bazooka aside, Jessie scowled at the ghost. “Hey, girl! You can’t take him! He just told you to leave him alone, didn’t he?!”

James somehow crawled up the cliffside, gazing at Jessie. “You really do care!”

“It’s not because of you. She and every other girl like her disgust me. Always waiting around for her man, as if she were his faithful pet. She can’t stand the thought of losing him, so she cries. I’d say see ya later! There are plenty more fish in the sea!”

“I could sure go for some fish,” Meowth said. James ran over to Jessie and hugged her tight. She nearly pummeled him to death.

I helped Paul sit up. “Paul, are you okay? You hit your head pretty hard just now.”

He rubbed his head. “I’m okay… I think.” Then, he looked up at me. “Rosa, where am I?”

“You don’t remember?” My eyes widened. “Does that mean you’re back?!”

“You said that earlier too. Do I keep going somewhere?”

I shook my head and laughed. “You keep going crazy.”

The ghost howled and said, “I’ve been waiting. You cannot interfere!” The spirit used her powers to summon several skull-like apparitions, which laughed maniacally.

The hairs on my neck spiked up.

I recoiled in fear, hiding behind Paul. “What are those things?” I squeaked, watching Jessie, James, and Meowth move behind me.

“Maybe Pokémon,” Paul muttered.

He pulled out his Pokédex. However, it just said, “ _ No Pokémon data _ .”

“Or maybe not.” The skulls started attacking us, flying out and trying to bite with their pointy teeth. I closed my eyes, screamed, and clutched Paul’s arm for dear life. He glared at me. “You really are afraid of ghosts, aren’t you?”

“Shut up! It’s not that weird!”

The Pokédex suddenly said: “ _ Signs of a Pokémon present. _ " We looked at each other, and then Paul frantically moved his Pokédex around. It wasn’t Luxio, Pikachu, or Meowth. When he pointed the Pokédex up at the ghost, however, it went off again. “ _ Gastly the Gas Pokémon. It is usually invisible, but it can also take on other forms using illusions. _ ”

“You’re a Gastly?” Paul asked.

The ghost laughed. “It’s no use if I’ve been found out. At times, I’m the legendary maiden, and at other times, I’m the mysterious old hag.” It changed into the old lady. “But my true form is…,” It bounced around in the air, collecting all of the gaseous skulls into one large mass. We finally stood against the Pokémon from the picture in the Pokédex, “...Gastly, of course!”

“If you’re a Pokémon, then we can have a Pokémon match!” Paul barked, grabbing a Poké Ball. “Grotle, standby for battle!”

“My illusions work as attacks too. You’re a Grass-type, right? Then I’m sure you’d do well to avoid any forest fires.” Gastly turned into a flamethrower, launching a powerful stream of fire at Grotle.

Grotle jumped into its Poké Ball. “Grotle?!”

“Fire’s no match for us! Pikachu, go!” Pikachu dashed out to attack.

“And you’re an electric mouse Pokémon, so I’ll use a mousetrap.” Gastly turned into a giant mousetrap. Pikachu turned and ran away as fast as possible.

Meowth jumped forward. “Mousetraps don’t work on Meowth!”

“You too, Luxio! Try using Spark!” Luxio nodded and raced for Gastly, covering his body in blue sparks. Meowth readied a Fury Swipes attack.

“Do you throw coins before cats, or perhaps cat food? How about a ball or two?” Gastly made the illusion of two balls of yarn. Like giving candy to a baby, Meowth and Luxio were thrilled to kick around the balls.

Jessie sent out her Ekans, but it got repelled by the illusion of a mongoose, a snake’s natural enemy. When they attacked with Koffing, the mongoose put on a gas mask and pressed Koffing into the ground with its foot. “Looks like Team Rocket’s smoked out,” I muttered.

“Who shall I defeat next?” Gastly taunted.

Paul grabbed another Poké Ball. “Rosa, send out your Wartortle!”

“Right. Let’s go!” I called out Wartortle alongside Paul’s Ivysaur, making it two completely different enemies. “Two heads are better than one!”

“What an eyesore,” Gastly said. “Skipping ahead, we get…” He created two illusionary Pokémon that towered over our own, though they weren’t necessarily giant. “Ivysaur’s evolved form, Venusaur, and Wartortle’s evolved form, Blastoise. And finally, adding to that, they fuse.” The two evolved Pokémon grabbed hands and lit up in bright light.

“Fuse?” Paul and I said.

When the bright light faded, we all saw a Pokémon that looked like Blastoise but with Venusaur’s pink flower on its back. “Its name is Venustoise! How’s that?” Wartortle and Ivysaur hugged each other before running away.

“It’s no good. This match is getting us nowhere,” Paul frowned. Team Rocket cowered behind us.

I quickly ran into the cabin and retrieved a few items. “Then, how about this?” I held up a golden cross.

“Is that a cross? Really?” Gastly asked.

“That, and garlic, a stake, and a hammer.”

“Do I look like Dracula to you?”

“Close enough! Vampires and ghosts don’t like a lot of the same things.”

“I’m not a vampire, you know—” Suddenly, a bell rang off in the distance. Gastly closed its eyes and shuddered.

“What’s wrong?” Paul asked.

“Even though I’m not a vampire, I do admit that neither of us likes sunlight. Please don’t forget about the Ghost of the Maiden by next summer.” He vanished into thin air.

“Where’d he go?” I asked.

“Who knows?” Paul said.

“Hey, it’s morning!” Meowth cheered.

The sun peeked up over the horizon line with no clouds obstructing its view. We all sighed in relief now that our encounter with the Maiden’s Ghost ended, watching the sunrise.

★

The following night, the town celebrated the final day of the Summer’s End Festival. The townspeople made little lantern boats and placed them in the water, watching them float out to sea. “What’s this?” I asked.

“During the Summer Festival, people who have passed away come to see us, and then they’re guided back home by those lamps,” said Officer Jenny. “That’s an old tradition at this port.”

I turned to her. “Officer Jenny, is there any way I can send out a boat too?”

“Of course. Nurse Joy has plenty of extras.”

With Jenny’s help, I obtained a wooden boat from Nurse Joy, and she put a tiny lantern in the center. They both told me to place any items around the light as gifts to spirits before sending it off.

I stepped closer to the waters, trying to find the perfect spot. A little farther down the shore, away from the main crowd, Pikachu helped me set the boat into the water. “Okay, hold it there,” I muttered, digging through my bag for some gifts.

We heard the crunch of grass behind me. “What are you doing, Rosa?”

“Participating in the festival. It's a lot of fun. Do you want to try? I can get you a boat too.”

“No, thanks. I mean, it's only to honor those who've died, right? I don't know anyone…”

“Oh. Well, okay.” I continued my project. We created a small origami flower, placing it at the bow. It looked cute, but we needed something more. I looked at Luxio and asked, “Okay, what else?”

“You should put this on there.” Paul knelt beside me and held out a Meowth-shaped rice ball.

“You sure? You look like you’d rather eat that.”

“I can get more. Here.” He gently put the snack into my hands.

“Okay, thanks.” I set the rice ball onto the boat. Lastly, my hair clip from Delia also went into the collection.

Paul seemed surprised. “I thought you liked wearing that thing?”

“I do, but this is more important to me. Besides, I can get a hair clip like this just about anywhere.” Thinking my item selection was sufficient, I called out my fire lizard and used her tail to light the candle. “Okay, everyone ready?” My Pokémon all agreed. Luxio and I put one hand each on the boat. “One, two, three! Go!” We pushed the ship, and it sailed into the bay.

I stood back and watched with the crowd. “Look at them all! So pretty!”

Paul muttered, “Yeah…,” sounding upset. I didn’t bother him about it.

After the lantern lighting, the town held the final celebration in the park. They decorated the grounds with bonfires and paper lanterns. Performers played music on drums and flutes for the many attendants.

The event planners encouraged all guests to wear traditional clothing. I borrowed a yukata from Nurse Joy: dark green with a red-and-white flower pattern, and a yellow obi. Then, I styled my hair a little more than usual and put on wooden sandals.

Nurse Joy, Luxio, and Pikachu all thought I looked gorgeous when I stepped down to the lobby. Luxio claimed I looked even better than the Maiden herself. “That’s not true,” I muttered with a scarlet face.

"And this goes with the outfit." Nurse Joy handed me a white rose styled into a hair clip.

I gazed at it and said, "It's gorgeous,” clipping it onto my head.

When I got to the park, Luxio and Pikachu helped me look for Paul. In my search, I found Jessie, James, and Meowth playing drums alongside the other musicians. “Well, it seems like they’re back to normal,” I said with a laugh.

Luxio called to me, pointing into the forest.

Running towards the water, I found Paul standing against a tree, the same spot where I sent off my lantern boat. He had a perfect view of Maiden Rock sitting just across the bay. “If only you were 2,000 years younger…”

“Are you seriously gonna wait that long for me?” I asked.

“I wasn’t talking about you. I was—” Paul looked over at me, and his face burst into flames. His previous train of thought left the station.

His expression made my face heat up. “What are you staring at? It’s just me.”

“No, I know. It’s just… By the way, I heard what you said earlier.”

“You heard?”

“When Gastly tried pulling me away, you said you didn’t want me to leave. You wanted us to stay together because we’re friends. Friends who don’t leave each other behind. You didn’t want to leave me with her. Do you care that much?”

Suddenly put on the spot like that, I forgot how to speak, blushing like mad under his stern gaze. After a second, I took a breath. “Truthfully, Paul, I cared ever since you first saw that ghost, and when you wanted to stay up at Maiden Rock the other night. I was so scared when that ghost Pokémon got to you I thought I’d lose you forever. I just…”

_ This is it. Wartortle will come out and kill me if I don’t do it now! _

I took the biggest breath ever and gazed at him. “I just didn’t want to lose my friend!”

He stared at me. “Your… friend?”

“Listen, Paul.” My hands got sweaty all of a sudden. “I really like you. You’re a great Pokémon Trainer. You’re funny and nice, and a terrible jerk, and I have so much fun arguing with you! So, what I’m trying to say… I want to stay friends with you! You’re the first friend I’ve had in a while, next to my Pokémon, of course. That’s why I didn’t want you to—”

Paul pulled me into his arms.

My hands trembled at my side. “Paul?!”

“You haven’t lost me. I’m still here, and I plan to stay.”

“You plan...to stay?”

He nodded and then pulled away. “Listen. I was thinking of going to Saffron City for my next Badge. Did you have a plan for yours?”

I shook my head. “Not really. I haven’t had time to think about it.”

“Well, if you want, I suppose we could go there together. As friends?”

My eyes widened. “Really?”

He suddenly stuffed his hands into his pockets. “I mean, it’s not like I’m asking you to journey with me. I just thought, after all the trouble I caused you today, I could pay you back.”

Grinning, I folded my arms. “And I  _ did _ give you a Gyarados.”

“You said there wasn’t any catch involved with that!”

I laughed. “At the moment, there wasn’t a catch. But I can still use it as leverage!”

He frowned. “You suck.”

“I know.” After a moment, Paul held out his hand. I stared at it. “What?”

“What do you mean, ‘what?’ Are we going to go dance now or what,  _ Girlie _ ?”

I smiled, happy that he returned to normal, and took his hand. “Let’s go!”


	17. A Spooky Detour

Dark clouds lingered overhead, barely distinguishable against the charcoal sky. If there was a moon out, I couldn’t tell. Its silver rays of light failed to penetrate the dense forest above, and the thick fog only obstructed my vision further. With the feeling of danger lurking around every corner, my body screamed for me to run away.

I sighed in defeat.

We had come too far. There was no turning back now.

“Keep going north, right?” I asked, squinting at the compass on my Pokétch. Pikachu tightly clung to my head. Her ears and tail twitched at every odd noise, and Luxio constantly reminded her not to freak out.

Walking at my side, Paul consulted his map for the most direct path to Saffron, though it seemed pointless considering the lack of light. “Well, yes, but we have to know how far north we need to walk,” he replied. “This forest is going on forever.”

“No. This  _ fog _ is going on forever! I can barely see my own hand, let alone the trees!”

Paul stopped walking, lowered his map, and let his shoulders roll forward. “It’s only five and the sun’s already gone down. At this rate, we’ll have to camp out again.”

I swiveled around. “Nuh-uh, don’t say that! You said Saffron City was this way!”

He scoffed. “Don’t blame me, Girlie. You wanted to take a shortcut.”

“I did not!”

“Yes, you did, so just come clean already. It’ll make this a lot easier.”

A huff escaped my lips. “It’d be a lot easier if I had been the leader from the start. Your sense of direction is terrible—Ow!” I recoiled after Paul flicked me on the nose. “The hell was that for?!”

“My sense of direction is better than yours, and you know it.”

I raised my fist. “You son of a—!” The sound of laughter filled my ears, freezing me in place and sapping all my energy. The hairs on my neck stood up like needles. My heart leapt into my throat. “What…What’s that?”

Paul turned white as a sheet.

My skin started to crawl. “Uh, Paul?”

He lifted a finger. “Turn around.”

Slowly, I obeyed.

Right behind me stood a child wearing a floppy hat and frilly dress. She clutched a ball in her arms, her wide, toothy grin anything but provoking a smile on mine. When she released an all-too-cheerful giggle, I yelped and sprung behind Paul.

“Where the hell did she come from?!” I whined.

“Shut up. It’s just a little girl,” he hissed.

When Paul proceeded forward, my shaky hand reached out. “No, Paul, don’t—”

He ignored me. “Hi there. Sorry if we startled you.”

“What are you apologizing for?  _ She _ startled  _ us. _ ”

Paul slapped a hand over my mouth. “Ignore her. She’s a bit of a scaredy-cat.” He recoiled after I bit his hand. “Do you happen to live around here? We’re a little lost and could use some help getting through this forest before it gets too late.”

To answer his question, the little girl giggled, turned, and disappeared into the trees.

“Wait a second! We really need your help! This forest is super creepy!” I called. When she ignored me, I shoved past Paul and chased after the girl, the sudden rush knocking Pikachu off my head. “Hey!”

“Rosa!” Paul howled, catching Pikachu in his arms.

I ignored him, trying my hardest to keep up.

The fog suddenly disappeared, giving way to a sheer cliff.

Before I could process my fall, two vines wrapped around my waist, leaving me dangling in the air. “I’m saved?” I asked, trying—and failing—not to look down.

“Hey!” yelled a voice. My eyes flickered up. Paul peered over the cliff's edge with Luxio, Pikachu, and Bulbasaur at his side. “Watch where you’re going! You were going so fast you didn’t even notice a drop like this.”

“Shut up! How was I supposed to know there’d be a cliff here?”

“Try not chasing people to start.”

Bulbasaur lifted me back up the cliff and set me down beside everyone.

Once safely on flat ground, I patted his head. “Thanks for saving me, Bulbasaur.”

Paul looked upset. “Hey, Girlie, I was the one who saved you!”

I hugged Bulbasaur. “Again, thanks, Bulba _ — _ Oh yeah, speaking of a girl,” my hair whipped this way and that as I looked around hoping to find the little girl. Alas, the search ended in vain, “where’d that girl go?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen her since you chased after her.”

Chills tickled my spine. “See? I’m telling you she was weird.”

“Nevermind her. Look at that!” Paul pointed out a vibrant city in the distance, sitting at the edge of the forest. “We made it to Saffron City.”

I sprung up on my feet. “It’s pretty! You said there's a gym here, right, Paul?”

“There is. The Gym Leader is Sabrina, and if we beat her, we get a Marsh Badge.”

My fist punched the air. “All right! Time to get my fourth badge!”

★

The second we stepped through Saffron City’s front gate, I asked for directions to the gym and took off towards it. Since leaving Maiden’s Peak, getting my next gym badge became my top priority. Our Pokémon required no visit to the Pokémon Center, and with a few hours remaining before curfew, we had plenty of time for a couple of battles.

“There’s the gym!” I excitedly called, spotting a strange dome-shaped building just up the street. Pikachu cheered, jumped off my shoulder, and sprinted for the gym. “Fourth badge here we come!”

“Don’t you ever slow down, Rosa?!” Paul called from way behind us.

With my fourth badge on the line, slowing down was a foreign concept.

Little did I expect there to be an issue when I reached my destination.

“What?! The gym’s closed!” I screamed after spotting the sign. The news shocked me so badly that I tripped and fell straight into the door.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Paul grumbled, rapid breaths escaping his chest as he came up beside us. He tried opening the door, but the attempt ended in vain. "Nope. Definitely locked."

I lounged on the steps before the door, pouting. "Say it ain't so!"

“And there’s a note, too.” Paul pointed out a small piece of paper taped just above the doorknob. He read it:

_ “ _ **_To all my lovely challengers,_ **

**_Some unexpected events have come up, so I must leave immediately. I will be gone for quite some time. Don’t come looking for me. Thank you for understanding._ **

**_-Sabrina_ ** "

Paul's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. “Kind of weird for a Gym Leader."

“Man, that’s just great! After all of this, I feel like I’m going to explode!” Luxio and Pikachu barked in agreement, looking equally as frustrated. “Gym Leaders can’t just abandon their post without a good reason!”

“Cool it, Rosa. Good reason or not, there’s nothing we can do until she comes back.”

I put my hands on my hips. “Well, then, what should we do?”

“Why don’t we head to the Pokemon Center? We can decide what to do over dinner.”

My stomach growled louder than a Gyarados, prompting a look from the others.

Blushing, I rubbed the back of my head. “Haha. Food sounds good.”

Thus, Paul and I set off for the Pokémon Center. We stopped by a local convenience store to purchase a few items and replenish our supply.

Arriving at our final destination for the night, we asked Nurse Joy to perform a quick checkup on our Pokémon, just in case. Luxio voiced his opinion about entering his Poké Ball, but I promised him a giant bowl of noodles if he behaved.

He did.

While our Pokémon got treated, Paul and I retrieved dinner from the cafe. Some drinks, sandwiches, noodles for Luxio, and a few power bars for the road. Afterward, we collected our Pokémon from Nurse Joy, retired to our room, and enjoyed very delicious food.

Luxio enthusiastically devoured his bowl of ramen.

“Thanks for being so well-behaved,” I said.

Luxio wagged his tail and barked.

"He must get his manners from you," Paul joked, handing me a napkin.

Also diving into a bowl of noodles, I failed to notice the specks of food now on my cheeks. I swiped the napkin and turned away to clean my face. “What can I say? Noodles are my favorite.”

"I can tell."

I cleared my throat. "So, what's our plan now that Saffron Gym is closed?"

"It depends when it'll open back up again. Did Nurse Joy know when Sabrina would return?” Paul replied.

I regretfully shook my head. “According to her, Sabrina closed the gym without warning and then left. She didn’t give an estimate on when she'd return, only that she had a Pokémon emergency of some kind to handle."

"A Pokémon emergency, huh?"

I nodded. "As far as excuses go, it’s not the worst. But it also means there's no telling when she'll be back. It could be days or weeks."

"Well then, it's not very practical to sit around and wait. Let’s focus on the other gyms in the meantime, and come back when Sabrina returns. We’ll start with the closest one."

"Where's that?" I hoped the next location sat somewhat close to Saffron.

Paul opened his map and spread it out on the table for everyone to see. "Hmm. Looks like it’ll be in Celadon City. Not too far from here. About one or two-days walk if we don’t take any detours."

"That sounds good, but before we go to Celadon, there’s something I want to do first.”

“Yeah?” He sat back in his seat, staring at me with folded arms. "What is it?"

"I want to go here." I pointed at the town sitting to the east of Saffron City.

"Lavender Town? Why? There’s no gym."

Taking a breath, I replied: "I want to see Pokémon Tower."

Paul spit out the water in his mouth. " _ You _ want to see Pokémon Tower?!"

"Yeah,” I said, nervously twiddling my thumbs.

"You realize Ghost Pokémon are rumored to infest that place, right?"

I nodded.

"So, why?"

“Look. I'm scared of ghosts. I don't deny that. However, after encountering Gastly the other day, there’s this sudden urge to get over my silly fear. I mean, I'm a real Pokémon Trainer now. I can't be scared of ghosts anymore, so I thought the best way to do that would be to battle, and perhaps even catch, a Ghost Pokémon."

He put a hand to his chin. "A Ghost Pokémon would be useful for whenever we battle Sabrina, who uses Psychic-types."

“See? So, what do you say? A trip to Kanto's famous burial ground?"

With an eyebrow raised, Paul crossed his arms. “I don’t know.”

I pressed my hands together. “Please, Paul! Lavender Town is only a couple of miles away from here, which means no more than an hour’s walk. If we leave early tomorrow morning, we’ll get to see the tower before lunch and then be on our way to Celadon with plenty of daylight left.”

A smirk replaced his frown of suspicion. “You’re serious about this, aren’t you?”

“Very. So please!” My eyes squeezed shut, praying that he’d agree to go.

After a moment, he shrugged his shoulders. “Well, you make a compelling argument, Rosa, and I don’t really see why not. Let’s go fight some ghosts."

I knocked over my chair in excitement. “Yay!”

Paul stifled a laugh. "Why are you so excited?"

"Honestly, it's probably nerves. The thought of facing Ghost Pokémon is terrifying.”

“Well, better build up your courage.”

“I will! I'm brimming with confidence! This time tomorrow, I'll no longer be afraid of ghosts!” Pikachu cheered loudly, while both Luxio and Paul exchanged doubtful looks.

We cleaned up dinner and went to bed right away, planning to get an early start the next morning. Luxio told me his concerns about facing Ghost Pokémon so recklessly, but I assured him that the results would be totally worth it. After all, being a Pokémon Trainer meant facing anything together with my Pokémon, even my worst fears.

★

The next morning, we walked amongst the still silence of another forest, my only comfort coming from the cold white blanket hugging my shoulders and bare legs. These trees were the only obstacles between Saffron City and Lavender Town.

“What is it with these foggy forests?” I groaned.

“Let’s just stick together. If we get lost, that might be it for us,” Paul said.

My arms gripped Pikachu like a teddy bear. “I did say that I’m ready to get over my fear of ghosts, but this is too creepy. Don’t wander off, okay, Paul?”

“I’m not trying to walk fast. You just need to keep up with me.”

“I can’t help it! I don’t walk very fast when I’m cautious—Ah!” I suddenly crashed into him and stumbled backward. “Hey, watch where you’re going!”

“I’ve been standing still for a few seconds now. You should’ve noticed.”

A strong feeling of embarrassment made me turn away. “It...It’s hard to see in the fog.”

“Do you want to hold my hand?” He held his arm out to me, fingers outstretched.

My cheeks felt hot all of a sudden. “Huh? What kind of idea is that?”

“So I don’t lose you. Well?”

I stared at his hand for a long time before grabbing it. The temperature in my cheeks quickly increased. “Don’t think this means anything,” I spat.

“I won’t. Trust me. I just don’t want you,” he suddenly turned around, “to turn into a ghost, like me!” Where there were once familiar black eyes and purple locks, I instead found pale skin, bottomless wells for eye sockets, and the smile of a classic Halloween predator.

“………….”

My heart pounded against my chest as though trying to escape. Adrenaline surged so fast I almost vomited. Eyes wide with fear, hands trembling, I screamed as loud as possible and collapsed.

Paul chuckled and removed his ghost mask. “Sorry. Sorry. I thought you should practice what to do when a ghost suddenly appears in front of you. I didn’t think I’d startle you that much though.”

My inner Hulk emerged. “What the hell kind of reason is that?! Pikachu! Luxio!” They fried Paul with a potent Thunder Bolt. “You can’t expect me to get over my fear just like that! That was way too scary, Paul!”

“You’re...much scarier," he coughed.

I huffed and walked away, refusing to speak to him until we made it to Lavender Town.

It didn’t take too long. Another fifteen minutes, maybe.

“And finally, we’re here. Lavender Town!” I cheered, staring out over the town from a hilltop.

Fog from the forest dumped into the valley. At the bottom of the hill, two crumbling, stone walls joined together to form an archway and mark Lavender Town's entrance. The town itself appeared as a maze of narrow, winding streets with traditional-style buildings colored varying shades of purple. At its core, a tower stared down at us like a many-eyed monster.

Lavender Town felt lonely, compact, almost claustrophobic.

I silently fell into step beside Luxio. “Do you guys feel that?”

“Feel what?” asked Paul.

“Just a feeling I get. Like I'm cold, but the air’s warm.”

“Hey, we didn’t come all this way for you to chicken out.”

“I’m not chickening out!” Of course, that eerie feeling remained, sending chills up my spine and making me regret my idea to come here—plus every other life decision I had ever made.

We made a pit stop at the Pokémon Center before visiting the Tower. I waited for Paul in the lobby, who needed to use the restroom. The lobby was as normal and boring as ever with polished, tile floors, a reception desk, and some couches and chairs for visitors to wait comfortably.

I stepped over to the desk to say hello to the attendant.

“Welcome to our Pokémon Center,” Nurse Joy greeted me.

“Are you by any chance related to the Nurse Joy in Maiden’s Peak?”

Her curly hair bounced in sync with her giggles. “Sure am. She’s my sister.”

Pikachu, Luxio, and I exchanged the same look. “That figures.”

“By any chance, are you and your boyfriend going to the Pokémon Tower?”

My face burnt like the sun. “Um, actually,” I began, trying to ignore Luxio and Pikachu’s hysterical laughter, “that boy you saw is just my friend. We’re not dating.”

Nurse Joy slapped a hand over my mouth. “Oh dear, I’m sorry. I sort of just assumed that you were… Well, if I’m honest, you look cute together.”

I never felt so embarrassed in my life. “That so?” By now, my Pokémon rolled around the floor hugging their stomachs. Somebody needed to change the subject of this conversation—quickly! “Well, to answer your question, we  _ did _ come to Lavender Town to see the tower.”

“Then, before you go, I strongly recommend you visit the Pokémon House.”

“Pokémon House?”

“Here.” Nurse Joy showed me a map of Lavender Town. “Just follow the road south from the Pokémon Center. Go four blocks, then take a right. It’s the third building on the right-hand side. If you’re an aspiring Pokémon Trainer, then it’d be a good experience.”

“How so?”

Before she could answer, the phone rang. “Oh, sorry. I have to get that.” She excused herself and stepped away from the counter.

Once she disappeared from sight, I glared at Luxio and Pikachu. “You two are not allowed to tell Paul anything about  _ that _ . Got it?” They both weakly nodded their heads, wiping the tears from their eyes.

“What can’t they tell me about?”

I jumped ten feet in the air, spinning around to find Paul. “Ah, Paul. How long have you been there?”

“Just a few seconds. Why are you so jumpy?”

“I-I’m not jumpy. I’m just...very excited to confront Ghost Pokémon. Yeah!”

Though he didn’t seem content with my answer, he gave a shrug. “Whatever. Let me grab a drink from the vending machines and then we can go.” He stepped away. Also wanting a cold beverage, Luxio and Pikachu rushed after Paul.

“They better not tell him anything,” I grumbled to myself.

“Did you hear a ghost has been appearing in Pokémon Tower lately?” said a man’s voice booming like a bullhorn.

Behind me, a young couple sat at a small table, coffee mugs held firmly in their hands as they awaited the return of their Pokémon. The man directed his statement to his red-headed companion.

She responded with wide eyes. “Really?”

“Pokémon Tower?” I muttered, further tuning into the conversation.

Bullhorn Boy nodded. “Yeah, and a lot of people have said that they’ve seen it.”

“Excuse me,” I called. “Is that thing you just said about the ghost really true?”

Bullhorn Boy locked me down with his brown eyes. “Uh-huh. I haven’t seen it for myself, but everyone’s talking about it. I’m guessing it it’s your first time in this town?” His friendly smile failed to support the seriousness of his earlier statement.

“Sure is.”

“Then, have you heard that this town is known as the gravesite for Pokémon?”

“Actually, I have. My friend and I came here today to check out Pokémon Tower, which is supposed to be the gravesite itself. Isn’t that right?”

Red-Head nodded. “Right.” She removed a hand from her coffee and pointed out the window at the gloomy tower overlooking the town. “Pokémon Tower is used for memorial services for Pokémon. Lots of people come from great distances to pay their respects.”

“So then, the ghost you were talking about earlier is a Pokémon?” I asked.

Once again, Bullhorn Boy nodded. “Mm-hmm. It seems like it, but it’s really just a rumor.”

“So then, do you actually believe in ghosts?” asked Red-Head.

I sheepishly grinned. “Oh, no, I don’t think they exist.”

She giggled at my face. “Haha, maybe not. I guess that white hand that’s resting on your shoulder isn’t real either, huh?”

The color left my face. “Huh? Aah? What?” I spun around, only to see nothing. “Oh, come on, stop kidding me like that, okay?” When I turned back around, both people disappeared without a trace. My head turned this way and that hoping to see them. “Uh…What the…?”

“Rosa?” Paul called, standing near the door with Luxio and Pikachu. “You coming or what?”

I ran over to them. “Did you see where that couple went?”

“What are you talking about? What couple?”

“The couple talking about the ghost in Pokémon Tower?”

He raised his eyebrow. “Are you just making stuff up now?”

“No, I’m not making this up. They were just…” I looked back to the small table, realizing the ridiculousness of my words. A defeated sigh escaped my lips. “Oh, nevermind.”

Pikachu jumped on my shoulder and tapped my head.

“She’s right,” laughed Paul, stepping outside. “You’re getting yourself a little worked up over encountering Ghost Pokémon.”

I angrily rushed after him. “I am  _ not! _ I’m totally ready to face one, and catch it, too.”

“Okay, then, come on. Let’s go.” He eyed the spire piercing the clouds and headed for it.

“Actually, wait!” I jumped forward and blocked his path. “Nurse Joy told me of a place we should check out  _ before _ going to the tower.”

Paul held little appreciation for yet another detour. “Which is?”


	18. Handle with Scare

Following Nurse Joy’s instructions, we ended in front of a sturdy residence two stories high with a one-story extension on the side. It was a marvelous house, the kind in which most kids dream about growing up: the front door located dead center, a covered porch, and four small windows near each corner. Someone planted a rose garden in front, carefully planned and loved.

Plus, the dwelling sat just a few short blocks away from Pokémon Tower.

It disappointed me that Paul didn’t find as much appeal in the Pokémon House as I did.

“What’s so special about this place?” he asked.

“Not sure. Nurse Joy said we could learn something here as Pokémon Trainers.”

“Well, let’s get this over with, then.”

Paul’s voice dripped with disinterest, so I shot him a look. "You could wait outside if you're that uninterested. This should only take a minute."

"Nah, I’ll come. It's too cold to wait out here, anyway.”

I begrudgingly held the door open for him. "Suit yourself."

The house was welcoming from the very beginning. Windows let natural light into the room and made the furniture glow. The floor was an old fashioned parquet with a blend of deep homely browns, contrasted by green garden walls and a bold white baseboard. A rug had been laid out over the wood.

The first feature that stood out was a fireplace big enough to park a car in. A neat pile of chopped wood stacked against it, and just three feet away was a coffee table surrounded by soft, velvety chairs.

A long polished table sat to the left, just before a bar that opened into a kitchen. This table was encompassed by much less comfortable-looking chairs, plus a billboard with a calendar, various messages, and photographs. Upon the walls were more photographs of people and Pokémon, so obviously loved.

A wooden door sat on our right, and another sat just beside the kitchen, and a set of stairs at the back spiraled up to the second floor.

The one odd trait about this room: the lack of people. “Hello? Is anyone here?” I called.

“Yes!” chirped a voice.

A young girl emerged from the right door. She gently shut it before skipping over to us.

“Hello. Sorry to bother you,” I said. “We’re travelers stopping through Lavender Town to check out the Pokémon Tower, and Nurse Joy recommended we visit the Pokémon House first.”

“Then, you’re in the right place!”

“So, what exactly is this Pokémon House, anyway?” Paul asked.

The girl raised an eyebrow. “Wait? You mean, Nurse Joy recommended this place but didn’t say anything about it?”

I shrugged. “I tried asking but she stepped away before I had a chance.”

“Oh, well, this is a place where we take care of abandoned or orphaned Pokémon.”

My heart sank. “Abandoned Pokémon?”

“I’ll show you. This way, please.”

She led us through the door from which she emerged.

We found ourselves in a bright, open barn with back-to-back animal pens. They contained a variety of Pokémon: an Oddish, a Growlithe, Vulpix, Rattata, Bellsprout, both genders of Nidoran, and many others. Several men and women stood inside the room tending to the Pokémon or cleaning the pens.

“Look at them all,” I muttered. Pikachu and Luxio both whined at the sight.

“I had no idea there were so many abandoned Pokémon,” Paul said.

“You should talk to the founder of the Pokémon House,” spoke the girl, looking back at us. “His name is Mr. Fuji. He says that lots of people around the world think of Pokémon as nothing more than tools or even some kind of accessories.

"Did you know that this house actually used to be Mr. Fuji’s own home? He remodeled it to have facilities just for the Pokémon.”

That made me smile. “This Mr. Fuji sure seems like a really kind person.”

“You’re right, he is. That’s the reason a lot of people in town started helping out Mr. Fuji as volunteers here at the house. As a matter of fact, I’m one of them. My name’s Reina.”

“My name’s Rosa,” I introduced myself. Pikachu and Luxio both waved before scampering off to play with the other Pokémon.

“And I’m Paul.” He bowed. “Nice to meet you. Are you a Pokémon Trainer, too, Reina?”

She regretfully shook her head. “I wish, but I’m not old enough yet. That’s why instead I spend all my time here. We take care of them until they’re feeling good enough to return to the wild, or until a Trainer passes through town and wants to take one. And I get to learn a whole lot about them, so I’ll know plenty by the time I set out on a journey.”

“That’s awesome! It must be super fun spending all your free time with Pokémon.” I gazed amongst all the Pokémon cheerfully interacting with each other, the volunteers, and my two Electric-types. “And obviously, you’re doing an amazing job. They all look really happy here.”

“Well, except that one,” Paul noted.

Our attention turned to a small, brown Pokémon behind a locked gate. This creature wore a skull over its head and clutched a bone fashioned into a club. “It’s a baby Cubone,” answered Reina.

When we approached Cubone’s pen, it glared and snarled to keep us from coming any closer.

“What’s with this little guy?” I asked.

Pikachu and Luxio climbed into the pen to try befriending Cubone. It barked at them both and brandished the club in its paws, getting both Electric-types to quickly scramble back over the gate.

“It’s only friendly to Mr. Fuji,” Reina admitted. “It’s very hostile towards anyone else.”

“And why is that?”

“Because of Team Rocket.”

“Wait, Team Rocket?” Paul asked, both of us gazing at her.

“One day, Cubone was being chased by Team Rocket close to town. They were poaching some wild Pokémon, and Cubone became a target. It was saved by its mother, who told Cubone to run away. And then…” Her eyes shifted to the floor and became glazed with a glassy layer of tears. “...that’s when Marowak, Cubone’s mother, was killed.”

It was as if the words themselves knocked the air from my lungs. I struggled to breathe, and blink. The only thing I could feel was my anger slowly starting to rise.

“Killed?” gasped Paul.

Reina weakly nodded. “Mr. Fuji was the one that found him, and brought him back here to give him a home. Since then, he’s the only one that’s been able to get close to Cubone. He’s scared of anyone else, human or Pokémon.”

I met Cubone’s eyes, recognizing the pain behind them—the pain of losing a loved one in the most gruesome way possible. Thinking about it, my nails dug into the wood railing of the pen.

Paul saw my reaction. “Uh, Rosa?”

“Team Rocket,” I snarled. “How dare they?!”

Cubone eased up on his hostile growl a bit. I failed to notice as we turned away to leave.

Reina gave us a quick tour of the rest of the Pokémon House. It was clear that Mr. Fuji put lots of time and care into remodeling his home, and it really made me happy to know there were some wonderful people in this world.

Afterward, we returned to the front room. By now, a handful of the other volunteers sat around the long table eating breakfast and discussing the day's agenda.

“Thanks for showing us around," Paul said to Reina with another respectful bow. “It makes sense why Nurse Joy would tell us to come here before visiting Pokémon Tower.”

“Mr. Fuji is not just kind, you know,” she replied with a grin. “He knows everything there is to know about Pokémon and teaches us all kinds of things. That’s another reason why I hang around here all the time.”

“If that’s true, we’d really appreciate the chance to meet him, so long as he could spare the time,” I said. “Which one of these guys is Mr. Fuji, anyway?”

That’s when Reina frowned. “Well, you see...”

“Huh, what’s wrong?”

Suddenly, a man in a green shirt rushed inside. “Everyone, I found out where Mr. Fuji is!”

Reina and all other volunteers in the room sprinted over. “Where? Where is he? Tell us, Steve!” pleaded a lady with short, purple hair.

“He’s in the Pokémon Tower,” Steve quickly replied.

“Pokémon Tower?” they all gasped.

“That’s right. Someone saw Mr. Fuji headed into the tower all by himself yesterday!”

“Why would he go in there?” asked a man wearing a light-blue hoodie.

“Team Rocket. That’s the only reason,” replied the purple-haired woman, a firm look on her face. “No doubt he went in there to tell Team Rocket to leave Pokémon Tower. Only to be captured...”

“They’re not the type of people that can be reasoned with.”

“Excuse me? The Pokémon Tower? What happened there?” I asked.

“Who are you?” asked Blue Hoodie Man.

“Oh, sorry. My name’s Rosa. I’m on a Pokémon journey with my friend here. We came to Lavender Town to see the tower, and I was hoping to learn something about Pokémon from Mr. Fuji.”

“One day, Team Rocket showed up and made the Pokémon Tower their base.”

“It was completely out of the blue, with no warning,” Reina added. “They came by truck, and before we knew it, took over the tower. Worst of all, they chase away the people who come to visit the Pokémon Tower and pay their respects to their beloved Pokémon. Since that day, not a single person has been able to go inside the Pokémon Tower.”

“I don’t get it,” Paul cursed. “Why are they so cruel? A bunch of dirt bags!”

“And on top of that there’s a ghost!” cried a woman with ash-blonde hair and brown eyes. “It’s the truth, believe me. I saw it clearly with my own eyes. The other night, I snuck into the Tower when Team Rocket wasn’t looking. And that’s when a ghost appeared! It yelled at me, telling me to leave.” She held her hands close to her chest and started trembling. “It was unbelievably scary.”

I started to tremble, too. “That does sound scary.”

“If people can’t come to visit the Pokémon Tower, this town is finished,” Steve frowned.

“Hey, let’s all go together and rescue Mr. Fuji,” Reina insisted.

“Look, there’s no way we can battle against Team Rocket,” warned Blue Hoodie Guy.

“He’s right,” agreed Purple Hair Woman. “Some people challenged them to battles, but they’re really strong for a bunch of petty thugs.”

“And there’s a ghost there. I can’t go inside that place again!” wailed the Blonde Lady.

Reina glared at them. “Then, what are we supposed to do?! Mr. Fuji went there to protect all of us. Are you saying we should just abandon him?”

“No, we’re not abandoning him,” replied Purple Hair.

“I’m sure that Team Rocket will eventually let Mr. Fuji go,” Steve said. “We’ll just have to wait and see. That’s all we can do.”

Furious, Reina screamed, “I can’t believe you guys!”

There was now an air of silence amongst everyone as they pondered what to do.

Without hesitation, I announced, “I’ll go!”

Everyone gasped in surprise, even Paul.

“Like hell you will! We’re here just to see the Tower, not get involved in anything.”

“Yes, I will get involved, Paul! I’ll go and rescue Mr. Fuji from Team Rocket.”

“You? But that’s impossible!” cried Purple Hair. “You’re just a child. Even all the adults here don’t have the strength to beat Team Rocket.”

“It’s a waste of time!” added Blue Hoodie. “Even if you go, nothing’s gonna change.”

“Well, you say that, but I’ve already battled with Team Rocket once, and won,” I said with a cocky grin, revealing three pristine badges in my shiny badge case. “So I’m pretty confident in my Pokémon battling skills.”

“Three badges?” gasped Purple Hair.

“It makes sense why you’re so confident, but are you sure that’s gonna be enough?” Steve asked.

“It doesn’t matter!” I replied, clenching my fists. “I can’t possibly let Team Rocket get away with whatever they want. Especially after what they did to Cubone. I’m going to teach those punks a lesson! You’ll see!”

The adults all chattered amongst themselves, unanimously in favor of my idea.

One person was not.

“What the hell are you doing?” Paul hissed, dragging me away from the others. “The plan was to visit Lavender Town, see the Pokémon Tower, and then be on our way to Celadon City before lunch.”

“And capture a Ghost Pokémon,” I replied. “Can’t do that without entering the tower, now can I?”

His mouth snapped shut. “I guess you’ve got a point there. But you don’t have to go and save an old man on top of that. He’s not our problem.”

“How can you say that? There’s a man being held hostage by a group of selfish criminals, and you think we shouldn’t do anything to help?!”

“It’s not that. The problem is it’ll take too long.”

“Oh, please. All I have to do is sneak into the tower, defeat Team Rocket, and free Mr. Fuji, and hopefully catch a Ghost Pokémon along the way. If we leave now, no doubt we’ll be done before lunch.”

He still seemed hesitant. “I don’t know, Rosa. Don’t forget it’ll be dangerous.”

“Dangerous or not, I’m still going to try. I told you: I’m not chickening out from this!”

“Why are you trying to be so heroic?”

“I’m not! I just want to help Mr. Fuji, and the people of this town, but most of all, I want to fight Team Rocket. I have to fight them! Did you see those Pokémon in that room? Did you see Cubone?” My heart ached when I recalled Cubone’s story. “If we don’t stand up to them, who will?”

Paul remained speechless. I stepped away to prevent the argument from escalating.

While Reina and the others obtained a floor plan of Pokémon Tower for me, I returned to the Pokémon room. My thoughts needed to be sorted before I set out on my mission, or I would put myself at risk of going crazy or getting hurt.

I understood Paul’s skepticism about getting involved.

However, I already committed myself to entering the tower and catching a Ghost Pokémon. It felt only right to add another objective to my list: rescue Mr. Fuji, and defeat Team Rocket. On top of it all, I wanted to help everyone, especially Cubone.

The Pokémon’s pen remained quiet until I approached. Upon spotting me, Cubone glared, growled, and brandished his weapon.

Remaining calm, I sat cross-legged before the tiny gate. “Don’t worry. I won’t get closer.”

Luxio and Pikachu placed themselves at my sides.

“I just want you to know that I understand.”

Cubone stopped growling and turned his head slightly.

“You see, I’ve lost someone, too.”

The Pokémon’s eyes widened.

Also surprised by the reveal, Pikachu looked to Luxio for confirmation. He nodded his head with a frown. Then, Pikachu barked at me and demanded to know more details.

“Sorry I didn’t mention it before, Pikachu. It’s just not something I talk about. The only one amongst us who knew was Luxio.” The cat sitting beside us wagged his tail back and forth, his head slumping forward. “Paul doesn’t know either.  _ Please _ ,  _ don’t tell him _ ,” I spoke at a much quieter volume.

Her ears drooping, Pikachu gave a small, sympathetic nod.

“Though I haven’t told anyone,” my eyes drifted back to the brown Pokémon sitting on the opposite side of the gate, “I felt that telling you was necessary. The person I lost was very important to me, too, and when they were gone, it felt like a piece of my soul was removed.

“After it happened, it took me forever before I finally was able to talk to other people and act like my usual self. I know how scared and alone you must feel, which is why Mr. Fuji is so important to you. He appeared when you needed someone.

“So, that gives me more of a reason to save the old man. He’s the only person that matters to you, right? Don’t worry. I’ll save Mr. Fuji so he can get back to you. I promise!”

Cubone held my gaze, blinking a few times.

Abruptly, a figure appeared at my side: a two-legged creature towering over me, with dark blue shoes and grey pants. It didn’t take a genius to figure out their identity. “What do you want?”

“I see you’re prepping for your haunted house trip,” muttered Paul.

There was some truth in his statement, and it stressed me out. “Just reminding myself what’s important, and the reason why I’m doing this.” I got back on my feet. “So don’t try to stop me, Paul.”

“On the contrary, I’m coming with you.”

My eyes snapped in his direction. “You...You are?”

Paul rubbed the back of his head. “Look. I thought about it, and you’re most likely going to freeze up the second you enter that tower. You’ll need backup from someone who's also skilled at Pokémon battles,” his eyes locked with mine, “and from someone who also wants to save that old man and help the Pokémon.”

Words left me. Only a single word could be pushed through my lips: “Really?”

Then, he made a cocky grin. “I’d also like a chance to beat those Team Rocket bastards.”

With my faith in him restored, I beamed. “Thank you, Paul.” Luxio and Pikachu tackled him with hugs, completely overjoyed that he’ll be joining us for the rescue mission.

I felt the same way.

★

After we obtained a Pokémon Tower floor map, Paul and I headed straight there. The clouds had rolled in sometime during our visit to the Pokémon House. When we reached the tower, it seemed as though day had already turned to night.

“Is it just me, or did it go dark all of a sudden?” I muttered, sheepishly gazing up past the tower’s stone walls. “It’s creepier than I thought.”

Dread twisted in my gut.

“Doesn’t look all that scary,” Paul replied, before shooting me a look. “You did say you want to get over your fear of ghosts.”

I straightened my shoulders. “And I will! Come on. Let’s rescue Mr. Fuji, and catch a Ghost Pokémon, too.” I marched towards the front entrance with my two Pokémon, all of us psyched and ready for some intense battling.

We entered the tower without a problem, and then quickly encountered one.

The windows had all been boarded, preventing any light into the room. Luckily, Paul and I came prepared. We retrieved flashlights, clicked them on, and used the yellow beams to slice through the pitch-black darkness.

Luxio and Pikachu also used Flash to provide extra light.

The Pokémon Tower housed hundreds of graves on all floors except the first. From what we could observe, the ground floor held the reception desk. Tables and couches for visitors populated the rest of the space.

Luxio stalked at my side, keeping his tail loosely wrapped around my leg. “Go slow and stick together. That’s the only way we’re getting out of here alive,” I whispered, stepping lightly as though the floor could give at any moment.

“Relax. No doubt the only threat in here is a Pokémon pulling pranks,” Paul said. At my request, Pikachu perched on his shoulder to evenly divide the extra light. “So just stay focused and don’t freak out.”

“I can’t help it, Paul. I mean, don’t you feel that sudden chill in the air?”

“No. You’re—” He cut off.

“Paul? What’s wrong?”

His head turned this way and that. “I might’ve spoken too soon.”

A strange noise entered my ear:

Footsteps.

The noise induced a powerful sense of paralysis. “What...the hell was that?”

We stood rooted in one place, all four of us peering around the room for any sign of life.

“You really don’t have to—”

“WAAH!” Paul and I yelped, spinning around on our heels.

Our flashlights revealed the face of a woman. Long, blue hair highlighted her bright skin and dark, brown eyes. She wore a pale green sweatshirt and slacks. “I’m not a ghost,” she continued.

Her gentle voice and smile put me at ease. “Please don’t scare us like that.”

“My apologies,” she replied, not seeming bothered by the possibility of Team Rocket skulking about the place. “I came here because I wanted to see my Nidoran. You care about your Pokémon too, right? Did you come to pay your respects?”

I cocked my head. “Aren’t you afraid?”

She laughed. “Of course not. It seems the rumored ghost only appears farther up. It must hold a grudge against Team Rocket.”

“Have you seen any of them around either?” inquired Paul.

“No, not at all. I’m guessing they’re avoiding the ghost like everyone else. Perhaps then they’re hiding up on the top floor.” Then, she stepped to the side and pointed back toward a flight of stairs. “Those go up to the second floor, if you’re curious. Just be careful. I hear those thugs are a lot stronger than they appear.”

“Thank you. We will,” we replied with a bow.

The lady excused herself and headed for the front entrance.

“Okay,” I said, turning to the staircase before us. “I’m...I’m not scared. I’m going to become the strongest Pokémon Trainer in the world. We can do this.” Luxio and Pikachu spoke words of encouragement.

“Then, after you, oh brave one,” Paul teased, gesturing to the stairs.

I looked at him, gulped, and proceeded onward.

The second floor contained hundreds of graves in neat rows and columns, leaving plenty of space for people to walk amongst them. Team Rocket boarded up the windows on this floor as well, and presumably throughout the rest of the tower. Our flashlight beams bobbed up and down as we navigated around the graves.

Another strange noise reached my ears. I froze and pulled Luxio into my arms.

Paul and Pikachu looked back at us. “What?”

“You didn’t hear that? That sound just now? An echo from the depths of hell?”

“Oh, relax, will you? I’m sure it’s nothing.” When Paul stepped forward, he crashed into something and stumbled backward. “Ow! What the hell? Could’ve sworn the walkway was cleared—”

I aimed my flashlight forward. “Uh, Paul?”

He saw my gaze and traced it to the object—the living object—standing in front of him.

A figure appeared where Paul previously stood: the same woman from before!

“Oh, man!” Paul gasped, jumping away from the figure. “You scared us, ma’am. What are you doing here anyway?”

She didn’t respond, making me nervous.

“Uh, hello?” I muttered. “How’d you get in front of us?”

Paul took a step forward and waved a hand. “Are you—?”

Out of nowhere, the woman grinned, cackled, and then ran straight at us.

Fear took over my body.

“Quick, before we get pulled to another dimension! Thunder Bolt!”

Luxio and PIkachu quickly launched their combined attack.

A green shield appeared in front of the lady, protecting her from our otherwise deadly attack. Behind the forcefield, a yellow and brown creature appeared, floating in midair with its legs crossed. It used its arms to keep up the powerful defense.

“A Pokémon?” Paul gasped.

Once our attack ended, the Pokémon spun around and slapped the woman in the face with its tail. She faded away like a puff of smoke. The only thing left behind was a purple Pokémon floating in midair with detached, purple hands.

“Found your Ghost Pokémon,” muttered Paul.

My hair stuck up like needles. “Thanks…”

The two Pokémon proceeded to bicker. While they did, Paul and I analyzed them for information.

Dex analyzed the purple ghost. “ _ Haunter the Gas Pokémon, and the evolved form of Gastly. Haunter can watch opponents by hiding in walls and slipping through anything in its way. If you trip and fall for no apparent reason or hear a sound when nobody is around, it may be a Haunter. _ ”

Paul looked up the other Pokémon. “ _ Abra the Psi Pokémon. It sleeps eighteen hours a day, but employs telekinesis even while asleep. When Abra senses an imminent attack, it escapes by teleporting. _ ”

“Are these wild Pokémon?” I asked, my eyes warily glued to Haunter.

After scolding its companion, Abra turned to us and bowed its head several times.

“That’s alright. I wasn’t scared, anyway,” Paul replied.

“I was not scared!” I snapped at him. “I was just practicing my vocals.”

Haunter looked at me, opened its mouth, and started singing opera music.

“You’re wasting your time. It sings better than you,” Paul laughed. He earned himself a punch to the back of his head. “Yeah, I probably deserved that one.”

“Rude.”

We gazed at the two newcomers for a long time. Haunter kept singing, and Abra kept pleading for it to shut up. They reminded me of the relationship between an introvert and an extrovert: one who needs to keep an eye on the other at all times.

“These two are weird,” said Paul, watching Haunter fail to impress us with a comedy act.

“I agree."

Haunter started crying, and Abra facepalmed.

“Well, here’s your chance,” Paul said. “Haunter’s a Ghost Pokémon.”

Remembering my first reason for coming to the tower, I panicked. “Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess I did say that. But I can’t separate these two buddies.”

“You call  _ that _ a friendship?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Alright.” Paul stepped towards Abra and retrieved a Poké Ball. “Then I’ll catch Abra.”

“What?!” Pikachu, Luxio, and I went wide-eyed.

“I don’t have any Psychic-type Pokémon.” He tossed the ball and summoned Grotle.

“True, but catching Haunter? I don’t know—” Haunter suddenly appeared right in front of me. I slapped a hand over my mouth to stop myself from screaming. Adoring my reaction, the Pokémon started clapping. “Don’t do that, Haunter!”

Recoiling from my outburst, Haunter turned around and cried.

I felt guilty. “Uh, Haunter, sorry. It’s just...you see, I have a fear of ghosts, so…”

“So, she’s a scaredy cat,” Paul finished.

“Not helping!” I cleared my throat and turned back to Haunter. “Though I promised myself I’d catch a Ghost Pokémon. Does that sound alright with you?”

Haunter’s eyes flickered from me to Abra to Paul, and then back to me, before laughing.

I stepped away. “Is that...a no?”

“I guess they won’t be coming willingly.” Paul stared over at Abra, who focused on its Grass-type opponent. “So we’ll just have a proper battle. Grotle use Energy Ball!” Grotle opened its mouth and fired.

Abra raised its hand, glowed, and vanished, letting the Energy Ball fly into the wall.

“It used Teleport?!” Paul exclaimed.

Haunter frantically looked around for its friend and then flew into the ceiling.

“And there goes Haunter,” I said, feeling slightly relieved.

“Damn. I would’ve really liked a Psychic-type on my team. Return, Grotle.” He recalled his starter Pokémon. “Let’s keep moving. Maybe they’ll reappear when we get to the higher floors.”

I nervously chattered, “Right.”

He sighed. “You’re not all freaked out now, are you?”

"Would you believe me if I said no?"

Paul stifled a laugh. “That’s the spirit. Now, come on.” We headed for the stairs.

We climbed floor after floor, never once running into Haunter, Abra, or any other wild Pokémon, or even a real ghost for that matter. The only sign of life was the sound of our quiet footsteps.

“I can’t believe everyone thinks there’s a ghost,” Paul laughed as we reached Floor 6.

“There  _ could _ be. We still have one more floor to clear,” I said.

“Still, it can’t just be a coincidence that a ghost appears the same time Team Rocket comes and takes over the place. The most likely possibility is that they made up the story just to scare people away.”

His comment felt like a punch to the gut. “R-Right.”

“So, we’re going to reveal Team Rocket’s sneaky tricks and then kick them out for good.”

I grinned, happy to hear some enthusiasm in his voice.

“Ah? What’s that?”

We both stopped.

Up ahead, our flashlights focused on the staircase at the other end of the floor. A small purple orb appeared. It emitted purple wisps and moved around in random patterns. It then charged at us, and roared: “ _ Get out! Leave this place! _ ”

Screaming as loud as possible, Paul and I dashed away.

★

Without sparing a single glance behind us, we returned to the fifth floor. I stepped far away from the staircase, dropped to my knees, and focused only on my breathing for a moment.

“That was...too scary,” I panted.

Luxio and Pikachu collapsed on the cold tiles beside me.

“I can’t believe we saw a real ghost,” Paul muttered. “Fighting it will be difficult.”

“Fighting it?” I stared at him. “You’re going back up there?!”

“You’re not?”

My head shook vigorously. “No way!”

“What are you saying? If you don’t, you can’t save Mr. Fuji.”

Hearing that made my heart feel heavy. “Y-Yeah…I know. I just—” Images flashed across my mind, making me press my face into my palms. “I just can’t do it. I won’t!”

“You serious—?”

“I’m dead serious! You know what else I’m serious about? I’m afraid of ghosts! Ghosts and ghost Pokémon alike. When I see them, I can’t speak or move or even breathe. It’s been like that for years. Call it a phobia, or a disorder. Whatever. It won’t change how I feel.”

Paul stared at me, his mouth hung open.

Feeling absolutely ashamed, I refused to look him in the eye. “Say anything you want, Paul, but I can’t face ghosts. There’s…"

More images resurfaced in my mind, frightening ones of a Ghost Pokémon. My tears spill onto the floor.

"There’s no way—”

Two hands placed themselves over mine.

“Okay, okay, I’ve heard enough.” Paul crouched before me. “You don’t need to explain yourself. If that’s how you truly feel, then there’s nothing to be done. Sorry for giving you such a hard time.”

His words touched my heart. “You’re...sorry?" My arms fell to my sides. My gaze drifted to the floor. "It’s not your fault I'm like this.”

“Well, I should’ve stopped pressuring you from the start. A fear isn’t something you mess around with. Plus, I have no right to judge anyone else’s fear.”

I wiped at the tears running down my cheeks. “Are you afraid of something?”

Paul averted his gaze. “Uh, well, not as bad as you.”

“What is it?”

He remained quiet.

I inclined my head forward. “I won’t tell anyone.”

“Promise not to laugh?”

I nodded.

“Clowns.”

A moment passed between us, silent and still.

Then, as bad as I felt to break my promise, I started laughing, hysterically laughing. My stomach cramped up and fresh tears made my cheeks sting.

Paul’s face resembled a tomato. “It’s not that funny, is it?”

Grinning, I wiped my face with my sleeve. “I’m sorry, Paul. I just never thought you were afraid of anything, so hearing your fear surprised me. You’re not making it up just to cheer me up, are you?”

He never met my eyes. “Of course not.”

It was impossible to tell if he was serious or not. It forced a smile on my face. “Thanks.”

Suddenly, the room became shrouded in a weird mist. The temperature dropped too, leaving me shivering.

"What now?" I asked, looking around the room.

“ _ Get out! _ " wailed a voice.

Back near the stairs, a large shadow materialized, wisps of smoke emanating from the core. The mass hovered just an inch above the floor and burned a hole into my chest with two menacing eyes.

" _ Get out! Leave this place!" _

My heart rate spiked again. "It followed us down here?!"

"It must really want us to leave."

" _ Get out now!"  _ bellowed the ghost once more.

"We should listen to it! We can regroup outside and come up with a better plan," I advised, planning the quickest way to the stairs.

“No," Paul said. "We have to face it."

"What? You're insane! And I'm not fighting that thing!"

"Fine. I'll fight it."

I shook my head in disbelief. "Don't, Paul. You don't need to be so righteous."

"I'm not trying to be righteous. I get you're afraid, Rosa, but you made a promise to save Mr. Fuji. To Reina and the others. To Cubone."

He had a point. It left me feeling conflicted.

"And I told you that I'd help." He grabbed a Poké Ball and threw it, summoning his Grotle. "That's why I said I'd face it."

The ghost formed a shadowy, arm-like extension and waved it around. " _ Get out! Leave this place!" _

"Energy Ball!" Despite Grotle's impressive attack, it went straight through the ghost.

"It didn't do anything?" I gasped.

"I half expected that," Paul grumbled.

"So why are you fighting?"

"To distract it. You head upstairs and find Mr. Fuji."

"Uh? Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now, go!"

A fighting spirit came to life somewhere in my body.

I nodded and looked at my two Electric-types. "You heard him. Let's get moving, you guys." They barked in unison, and we bolted for the stairs.

The ghost tried to stop us by firing a ball of black energy.

Grotle used Razor Leaf to negate the attack before jumping in front of us with his trainer. "No, you don't! It's just you and me now!" Paul said.

I took one glance at Paul before hurrying up to the next floor.


	19. Fighting Fear with Fear

Just as we stepped out onto the sixth floor, a flashlight beam attacked my face and forced me to stop. “Hey, you! What are you doing here?” hollered a voice.

Using my own flashlight, I discovered a green-haired man standing at the other end of the room. He wore a black uniform with a grey belt, gloves, and boots. A bright red R was on his shirt.

“Ha! A human opponent. We can handle that. Let’s go, L—” Suddenly, Haunter materialized right in front of us, making me shriek. “Haunter?” It looked back at me and snickered. "Do you...want to fight?"

"Hey, kid, quit ignoring me and tell me why you're here!"

I snapped out of fear mode. "I hardly think that's any of your business! This is a public place, after all."

"Mouthing off, huh? Let's see how smart you are after I beat you! Go, Drowzee!" He threw a Poké Ball. A different yellow and brown Pokémon appeared before him. "Teach them not to mess around with Team Rocket. Psybeam!" Drowzee raised its hands and fired a multicolored energy beam at us.

Haunter flew into a tombstone and vanished; the Psybeam collided with the grave and destroyed it. After coming back into view, the ghost started to cackle.

The Team Rocket agent growled in frustration. “Again!” Drowzee fired one Psybeam after another.

Haunter avoided each attack with ease.

However, after several attempts, Drowzee managed to graze the Ghost Pokémon. It seemed to not be damaged, but it no longer showed signs of its goofy nature. Putting its hands together, Haunter formed a ball of black energy and hurled it forward.

Drowzee took a direct hit from the attack and collapsed.

“What attack was that, Dex?” I asked.

My Pokédex quickly responded, “ _ Shadow Ball. _ ”

“Drowzee use Poison Gas!” Drowzee blew out a cloud of purple smoke from its long snout.

I made a face. “But, isn’t Haunter a Poison-type?”

Haunter laughed again before flying right into the poisonous cloud.

A moment passed by.

Then Drowzee got launched into the ceiling. The sudden rush of air cleared away the smog, revealing Haunter with a fist engulfed in black energy.

I beamed at Haunter's battle prowess. “That must’ve been Shadow Punch.”

Not willing to give up, the TR agent ordered another Psybeam.

Unable to dodge in time, Haunter got hit by the super effective attack and groaned in pain, falling to the ground.

"Haunter, are you okay?" I tried running over to help, but it insisted I stay back.

Returning to the air, Haunter made itself glow in a purple light. It rushed forward and sent its fists flying at an incredible speed. The attack blasted Drowzee back with an incredible force, knocking the creature into its Trainer.

“Nice use of Payback!” I commended.

Haunter held up a thumbs-up.

Recalling Drowzee, Green Hair went to retrieve another Poké Ball.

Acting quickly, I thrust my arm forward and pinned the man back against a wall. My forearm remained tight across his throat. “I’m in no mood for ghosts, but even less for you bastards. That ghost downstairs. You got past it somehow, right? Tell me how!"

“Why would I?” he spat.

I snapped my fingers.

Luxio responded by snarling and showing his teeth, blue sparks coming off his tail.

“You’ll get fried if you don’t,” I answered.

Admitting defeat, the man unlatched a strange pair of goggles from his belt.

“What’s that?”

“It’s called the Silph Scope. You can see ghosts with it.”

I hesitantly took the item, still holding a hand to his throat. “If this is a trick…”

He grabbed at my hand hoping to pry himself free. “It’s...not! It was developed by the Silph Company, and fully tested. Believe me, it works. Now, get off me, brat.”

“I hope you burn in hell.” Remembering Haunter's presence, I smirked. “You don’t happen to know Hypnosis, do you?”

Haunter waved his hands in the air, firing several white rings of energy. After taking a direct hit to the face, the man’s eyes quickly shut. Snores escaped him as he slumped to the floor in a deep sleep.

“That should keep him out for a little while.”

Haunter grinned and applauded his own efforts. Luxio and Pikachu thanked him for the help.

When they shot me a look, I weakly nodded. "Y-Yeah, thanks. I appreciate your help, too, ghost or not." My eyes drifted down to the weird goggles sitting in my hand. "Seeing ghosts, huh?" Getting an idea, I rushed everyone back downstairs.

Returning to the fifth floor, Paul and Grotle struggled to battle the ghost. The Grass-type had already taken some damage, while the ghost looked unscathed.

“No matter what attack we try, it doesn’t work. What do we do now?” Paul cursed.

Seeing that they wouldn’t attack, the ghost took its turn. It used Shadow Ball on its opponent, sending the Pokémon crashing into multiple tombstones.

"Grotle!" However, Paul knew his Pokémon had been taken out, so he recalled him.

Now with the momentum on its side, the ghost went at Paul next.

I jumped in between them. “You’re no longer a threat, you damn ghost!”

“Rosa?!”

The Silph Scope fit perfectly over my head. “You better freakin’ work.”

Once the goggles powered up, I focused on the ghost. The shadowy blob shuddered before morphing into a fully-fleshed, outlined figure: a tall, bipedal creature strikingly similar to Cubone.

“Is that...Marowak?” I gasped.

“What?” Paul asked from behind me. “Can you see the ghost?”

“Here. See for yourself.” My jaw hung open as I handed over the Silph Scope. “That means the ghost is Cubone’s mother.”

Marowak raised her club and gazed at us. “ _ Get out. Leave this place! _ ” she said, her voice pleading for us to listen. “ _ You shouldn’t get close to them!” _

My heart felt heavy. "She's trying to chase us away...from Team Rocket?"

A cry suddenly echoed from the stairs behind us.

We turned to find a small brown Pokémon clearing the last step. "Cubone?"

Screaming loudly, he ran straight past us and over to the ghost, holding his arms wide open. To the naked eye, Cubone hugged thin air, but when Paul handed back the Silph Scope, I saw Cubone embracing the ghost of his dead mother.

Marowak hugged Cubone back, both shedding tears of joy over their reunion.

"It was just Marowak," I smiled, removing the Silph Scope. "All this time, she was just worried over her baby."

“No reason to be concerned over the ghost anymore,” Paul added.

Marowak and Cubone embraced for just a bit longer. Then, Marowak's spirit slowly turned from purple to green. She floated away from her baby and up into the air, fading away into nothingness.

Cubone gazed at the spot where his mother previously stood, his eyes no longer looking sad and lonely. He lifted the bone in his hand and howled as loud as possible, able to finally move forward.

Smiling, I stepped over to Cubone. He heard my approach and craned his neck to look up at me. "Hey, Cubone. Thanks for that."

Cubone nodded his head.

"Come on, then." I held out my arms. "Let's go get Mr. Fuji back." With Cubone's permission, I picked him up.

★

We soon reached the next floor. Two other Team Rocket men had just awakened their green-haired friend. “Are you okay?” asked one agent with red hair.

“And where’s the Silph Scope?” demanded another with blue hair.

Green Hair could barely remember his own name. "It...It was…"

“This thing here. This is what you’re looking for, right?” Paul asked, chucking the item back at their faces.

“Who...are you?” replied the defeated grunt.

“I’m the guy who came to kick you out of this place!”

Cubone furiously waved its club in the air, wanting to beat all three men senseless for the death of his mother. Though I understood his feelings, I tightened my grip on his tiny, flailing body. “You can’t battle these guys. Just leave it to Paul, okay?”

“You obnoxious brat! Koffing, get them!” Red Hair tossed a Poké Ball, wanting revenge for his comrade.

“A Poison-type?” I said, eyeing Paul. “What’ll you use? Grotle isn’t a good matchup.”

“I’ll just use—” Abruptly, a yellow Pokémon materialized before Paul. “Abra?!”

Abra nodded back at us, waving a hand at Haunter. The ghost Pokémon cheered and clapped for its friend's timely arrival.

“About time you showed up,” I laughed.

“I’m counting on you, then,” Paul said.

Abra turned to face its opponent.

“Sludge Bomb, Koffing!” The rotund Pokémon fired multiple globs of filthy sludge from its mouth.

Abra teleported out of the way of each and every projectile.

“Tackle!”

Koffing somehow moved into Abra’s blind spot, sending it into the floor.

“You alright?” Abra made a low cry before rising to its feet. Now looking pissed off, it started to glow. “Uh?”

“It’s evolving!” I gasped.

Abra grew taller. Its tail increased in volume, and two mustache-like tufts of fur sprouted from its thin snout. Also, red markings appeared on its body: a star above its narrow, deep-set eyes, and three wavy lines on its abdomen. In addition, the Pokémon now wielded a silver spoon in its hand.

“Whose that?” Paul muttered.

Paul’s Pokédex analyzed the newly evolved Pokémon: “ _ Kadabra the Psi Pokémon, and the evolved form of Abra. It emits special alpha waves from its body that induce headaches and cause machines to malfunction. The more danger it faces, the stronger its psychic power. _ ”

“Awesome. Ready to battle, Kadabra?”

“Heads up! An evolved Pokémon needs to be outnumbered, and quickly. Go!” Green Hair and Blue Hair both sent out Pokémon: a Golbat and a Voltorb. Alongside Koffing, they attacked together with a combination of Thunder Bolt, Air Cutter, and Sludge Bomb.

Kadabra closed its eyes for a moment to concentrate, and using its new power, it bent the spoon in its hand with its mind. Immediately, the incoming attack took a sharp turn and slammed into the wall, completely missing the intended target.

“That was Kinesis!” I announced.

The opposing Pokémon shot off another attack combo.

Paul reacted quickly. “Psybeam!”

Kadabra obeyed and launched an attack to defend itself.

While all Pokémon were busy exchanging attacks, Green Hair summoned a Zubat to further outnumber Kadabra.

I reacted quickly. “Oh no, you don’t. Haunter, get ‘em!"

Haunter attacked Zubat with Hypnosis. Once the bat fell asleep, the ghost rushed forward. Glowing red, Haunter flew straight through its victim. This drained Zubat of all its energy and knocked it out in one hit.

“Hypnosis and Dream Eater. Perfect!"

Returning to the main fight, Kadabra had taken out Golbat and Voltorb with a combination of Disable and Night Shade. Koffing still seemed able to continue, though. "Smog!" Just like Drowzee, it released a poisonous cloud into the air.

“Uh oh. We need to get that poison out of here,” I said. Then, an idea appeared. I eyed the Pokémon in my arms. “Do you know Bonemarang?” Cubone nodded, so I set him on the floor. "Then, please use it to clear away the smog!”

Cubone threw his bone like a boomerang. The combination of the weapon’s spinning motion and its circular path managed to blow away all the smog, giving Paul and Kadabra a clear shot.

“What happened?!” cried the grunts.

“Alright, Cubone!” I cheered.

“Now finish this, Kadabra!” Kadabra used Psychic, slamming Koffing up into the ceiling and down into the floor.

“It can’t be…!” gasped Koffing’s trainer.

“We lost to a couple of runts?!” added one of his buddies.

“I’m gonna remember you for this, kid. It’s not over!” The man recalled Koffing and then fled past us with his two friends. All three disappeared downstairs.

Once they were gone, I lifted Cubone into the air with a smile on my face. “All right, we did it! We beat Team Rocket!” He happily waved his arms. Haunter, Luxio, and Pikachu also celebrated with us.

"I'm pretty sure Kadabra did most of the work," Paul said, glancing over at the Psychic Pokémon at his side. "Thanks for the help."

Kadabra blinked.

Haunter flew over and fist bumped its newly-evolved friend.

Not wanting to waste time, Cubone barked at me and gestured towards the stairs going up to the seventh floor. "Oh, right” I said.

We all hurried up to the final floor.

“Mr. Fuji?” I called when we got there.

“Over...here,” a voice coughed.

Recognizing the speaker, Cubone leapt out of my arms and ran. At the center of the room, an old man had been tied up to a shrine. He slowly opened his eyes and turned to the Pokémon approaching him. "Cubone?"

Cubone gnawed at the ropes binding his arms behind his back.

“You came to save me," the man continued. "I’m grateful, but what are you doing in a place like this?”

“He couldn’t sit still,” I laughed.

Paul went over to help Cubone cut at the bindings.

“Who are you?” asked the old man.

“I’m Paul, and that’s Rosa.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Fuji,” I said. “We heard Team Rocket was causing you all some trouble so we decided to chase them off.”

“Well, then I owe you my gratitude as well.” Then, he gazed down at the baby Pokémon now sitting in his lap, noting his cheerful expression. “And I see that Marowak’s restless spirit finally found the peace it desperately sought. And we have you both to thank for that as well.”

“It was nothing,” Paul replied.

“Ever so humble,” I grinned.

Haunter suddenly popped into my field of vision, making me jump ten feet into the air.

Everyone else laughed.

All the Pokémon, Paul, and I escorted Mr. Fuji out of the tower. He and Cubone had a moment to catch up, where the latter voiced all of his frustrations about Mr. Fuji recklessly confronting the crooks.

Mr. Fuji apologized several times.

★

When we returned to the Pokémon House, everyone rejoiced that the old man had safely returned. Several of the volunteers left to go spread the word of Team Rocket’s defeat and the reopening of Pokémon Tower. Within no time at all, residents and tourists alike flooded the tower’s front entrance.

Reina was thrilled to see Mr. Fuji, and to finally hold Cubone. “When I hold Cubone like this, he’s just so warm,” she giggled as she tightly embraced the little Pokémon. He hugged her back.

“Isn’t he?” I agreed.

Luxio and Pikachu remained in the room to play with Cubone and Reina, while I went back out to the lobby. Sitting down at the long table near the kitchen, Paul and Mr. Fuji chatted over a stack of black and white photographs.

“Enjoying yourself?” Paul asked as I approached.

“Sure am,” I replied, turning my attention to the old man. “Those Pokémon are super happy, and it’s because of this place. It’s a really great thing you’re doing for them, Mr. Fuji. On their behalf, thank you very much.”

He chuckled. “I should be the one expressing my gratitude. Thanks to you both, our town has returned to normal. We can once again visit Pokémon Tower, and as you saw, Cubone has finally opened up to being with others. Truly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

My ears turned vibrant red. “We’re happy to help.”

“Hey, Rosa. Look at these.” Paul beckoned me over to the photo pile.

I gazed upon a huge collection of black and white polaroids. Each one had varied amounts of people and Pokémon smiling at the camera. They all looked extremely happy, which gave me a warm feeling.

“Quite a collection,” I said with a smile. “Are all these yours, Mr. Fuji?”

“Indeed.”

One of the photos had a young man with the same eyes as the old man standing before us. A Bulbasaur sat at his side, making my eyes widen. “Were you a Pokémon Trainer?!” I excitedly asked.

He gave a hearty chuckle. “One of the best, if I do say so myself.”

“He told me that he knew Professor Oak as a Trainer,” said Paul.

“Oak sure was a tough one. Not once did I best him in a Pokémon battle.”

I picked out an image of a small family: a man holding a young boy, presumably his son, a woman standing at his side, and the same cute Bulbasaur from the other photo. “And is this your family?”

“Yes, from way long ago. My wife unfortunately passed away a few years ago.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.” My gaze focused on the young boy. “What about your son?”

“He’s working as a scientist here in Kanto. He does call from time to time.”

I made a small smile. “That’s good, then.”

“Is this your grandson?” Paul plucked a third polaroid from the pile.

When I peeked over his shoulder to get a look for myself, my breath hitched.

“No, no. That’s a young man who passed through Lavender Town several years ago. A nice kid. Unfortunately, due to my old age, I fail to remember his name. Ricky? Richard? Reggie?”

This photograph had Mr. Fuji beside a teenager wearing a short-sleeved jacket and hat, and a Pikachu stood on his shoulder. The instant I saw the boy's face, a dreadful feeling twisted my gut, and I wanted to vomit.

“Rosa? Are you alright, dear?” asked Mr. Fuji.

I only just realized that I made little effort to hide my sickened expression. “O-Oh, yeah, I’m alright,” I muttered with a grin and rubbed my head. “Sorry. Just spaced out a little. I find myself doing that more than I care to admit.”

“Nothing new about that,” Paul teased.

“Quit it.” I punched his arm as I took a seat beside him, blocking out the photo from my vision—and hopefully soon, my memory.

“Now, Rosa, Paul here informed me that you both are working to become Pokémon Trainers, and that you both received a Pokédex to help on your journey.”

“That’s right.”

“Then, here’s a question: who was the one who invented the Pokédex?”

“That’s easy. Professor Oak,” Paul answered.

“Correct.” Mr. Fuji closed his eyes, thought to himself, and then happily smiled. “Oak was always a wise man. When we both were young Pokémon Trainers, Oak was one of the best. I don’t recall ever beating him in Pokémon battles, not once.”

Paul’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Reina said you know lots about Pokémon. I was curious to find out if you had any tips or information for us.”

“Hmm.” Mr. Fuji remained silent for a while, allowing thoughts and countless years of experience to provide him with his next words. Finally, he spoke: “Unfortunately, the advice I have may not quite be what you’re looking for.”

Paul sat back in his chair. “What is it?”

“You see, I think any quest to become a Pokémon Trainer will fail without a key component: love, for your Pokémon, and for others.”

“Love for Pokémon?” I repeated.

“And others?” Paul added.

We looked at each other for a moment. Then, my face caught fire, so I turned away.

Abruptly, Mr. Fuji rose from his seat. “With that idea in mind, I do believe I have something that may assist both of you on your quests.” He stepped away. He promptly returned holding a small, wooden box with a neat pattern carved on the top. The old man set it on the table before us.

“What’s in the box?” Paul asked.

“Well, open it.”

Paul and I exchanged a look.

We ended up opening the box together. Two strange, catseye marbles sat in the box’s velvety interior. The first looked yellow with a curvy, yellow and brown pattern at the core. Purple was the dominant color for the second marble, with red accents.

“Gems?” Paul and I gasped.

“Are you sure you want to give us something so valuable?” I questioned.

“These stones don’t have any value as gems,” replied Mr. Fuji.

“Oh. Well, then what are they?” Paul asked.

“If you keep going down the path of the Pokémon Trainer, then no doubt you’ll find out soon enough. Heh.” He walked away.

Paul and I said nothing. We just stared down at the gems.

After a moment, I decided that we both should take one each. “Which one do you want?”

He responded by pushing the box towards me. “You first.”

“You sure?”

“Of course. I do have manners,” he needled.

“Oh, really? I couldn’t tell.” I considered the two marbles, and took the purple one. “I’ll take this one.”

In response, Paul took the yellow one. “This one’s mine, then.”

Not knowing exactly what to do with my newest novelty, I slipped the marble into a tiny, hidden pocket on the inside of my bag, the same pocket that held my rainbow feather. The artifact sparkled for a moment when my fingers brushed against it.

“Cubone, come back!”

Suddenly, Cubone burst into the room crying very loudly. Reina, Luxio, and Pikachu chased after him. He ignored their pleas to slow down, hobbled over to us, and jumped up into my lap.

“I-Is something wrong?” I stuttered, rubbing Cubone’s back as he gripped my shirt.

“Sorry, Rosa." Reina paused to catch her breath. "He found out you were leaving soon and got upset.”

I blinked in surprise. “That true? Do you not want me to go?” Cubone met my eyes, shook his head, and went back to hugging my chest. My heart exploded. “Oh, Cubone, you’re too precious!”

Luxio scowled when I threw my arms around the tiny Pokémon.

“Don’t be so jealous, Luxio. You can share.”

“Ah, I just had a thought,” announced Mr. Fuji when he returned from chatting with one of the other volunteers. “Why don't you take Cubone with you on your journey, Rosa?”

I blinked in surprise. “You serious?”

“I think it would be a fine idea.” He rubbed Cubone’s head. “No doubt, it’ll be a good experience for you both.”

Considering the idea, I gazed at the Pokémon in question. “Cubone, would you like to come along with me and Paul?” The little Pokémon jumped onto the table and excitedly danced in circles. “That’s a yes.”

“No need to ask him twice,” Paul laughed.

Reina pouted. “What?! But then we won’t get to play with Cubone anymore!”

Mr. Fuji chuckled. “It’s alright, dear. This is our ultimate goal, after all. All the Pokémon here will one day leave with kind people who’ll love and care for them, and Cubone has decided who he wants to go with. Right, Cubone?”

Cubone vigorously nodded, making everyone smile.

Outside, Mr. Fuji saw us off. Both Pikachu and Cubone clung to my shoulders, and Luxio stood at my side. He looked extremely jealous. “Relax, Luxio. They won’t take all my attention away,” I laughed.

Not accepting it, he jumped up into my arms.

I hugged him tight. “Your jealousy is showing, mister.”

“Again, just as wonderful manners as you,” Paul said. “You carry any more Pokémon and you’re going to have back issues.”

After glancing at him, I smiled at my three Pokémon. “Someone else is jealous, too. We need to get Paul a shoulder pal as soon as possible.” They all agreed with nods, making Paul scowl at us.

“Just worry about yourself, alright!”

Our “friendly” chatter caused Mr. Fuji to smile. “You two sure seem to get along.”

My response was a shaky grin. “I don’t know about that.”

“Well, thanks again for everything, sir.” Paul respectfully bowed.

The old man replied, “If you ever find yourself in any trouble, feel free to come see us.”

“We’ll do that. Thanks. See you around.” Paul waved and then walked away to consult the map.

Mr. Fuji turned to me. “And Rosa, do take care of Cubone for me.”

“I promise I will!” I reached up a hand to rub Cubone's snout. "No doubt, we're going to be a great team, aren't we?" Pikachu climbed onto my head and gave our newest team member a friendly pat on the head.

“Ah.”

A gasp escaped Mr. Fuji’s lips, prompting my gaze to return to the old man’s face and his surprised expression. His eyes were wide as though he had realized something upon seeing me and Pikachu together.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

After a moment, he shook his head. “I beg your pardon, Rosa, but may I ask something?”

“Sure.”

“By any chance, do you have an older brother?”

“I do, actually. His name is Volkner. He's a gym leader in Sunyshore City. Blond hair, blue eyes, and looks grumpy a lot.”

“Oh, I see.” He frowned a little. “My mistake then.”

I tilted my head. “Why the long face? Are you trying to find out about an old friend?”

“Indeed. Do you remember that picture of that boy who passed through here several years ago? He was an aspiring Pokémon Trainer like yourself, a very good battler but also a very kind and smart boy. He visited a few more times, and became like a grandson to me. However, I haven’t seen him for some time now. You reminded me of him, so I thought to ask.”

That dreadful feeling in my stomach quickly returned. “Oh. That so…?” I swallowed hard, keeping my face hidden underneath my bangs. "Sorry, I couldn't help you out..."

"That’s alright. But, if you happen to encounter him in your travels at all, would you let him know I said hello? He has black hair and eyes, and wears lots of red."

All of my Pokémon looked at me curiously when I shuddered.

"Sure… I’ll, uh, say hi for you, if I ever see him.”

“That would be wonderful. Thank you.”

“Rosa!” I glanced back to see Paul waving back at us. “You coming or what?”

“Be right there! Let’s meet again, Mr. Fuji.”

“Likewise. Take care, dear.”

I turned to walk off, but I didn’t get too far when Mr. Fuji called out to me.

“Ah, Rosa! Forgive me. My memory’s slow these days, but I just remembered that boy’s name.”

Planting my feet on the ground, I responded without looking back, “Yeah...?”

“His name was  _ Red _ .”

That sickly feeling spread all throughout my body like a virus. Trembling, I took a deep breath and fought back the powerful urge to vomit. Instead, I forced a grin on my face as I waved back.

“I’m sure I’ll remember that. Bye, Mr. Fuji!”

And without another word, I ran off.

Paul and I quickly stopped by the Pokémon Center before heading out, neither of us saying a word to each other. Since Mr. Fuji’s parting words, I felt uneasy and sick to my stomach, lacking the strength to even look in my friend’s direction. I could sense his gaze as well as the concerned looks of my Pokémon, but I still remained as quiet as a mouse.

As we passed through the Lavender Town archway, he finally broke the silence.

“Hey.”

I glanced at him.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Wh-What kind of a question is that?” I stuttered with a glare.

“You’re never quiet. You sick or something? What’d Mr. Fuji say to you?”

“Oh. Uh, it’s nothing. He just suggested a more direct route to Celadon rather than crossing back through Saffron.”

“That so?”

I slowly nodded and then picked up the pace to move past him. My Pokémon glared at me for lying, but I ignored them.

“Then, why are you so pale?”

“Pale?” His accusation made me trip. I spun around. “I’m pale because I just remembered everything that happened in that creepy tower, so let’s get away from here already!”

He shot me a grin. “Yeah, alright. Don’t want you to scream bloody murder again.”

“I didn’t scream that loud! Your ears were playing tricks on you!”

“I don’t think so. I heard it loud and clear, you screaming like a little girl,  _ Girlie. _ ”

“I did not scream like—AHHH!” Haunter suddenly appeared behind Paul. Seeing the floating, purple body with detached hands waving gleefully frightened me to death. I fell to the ground.

Paul gave me a look. “What’s wrong now?”

“T-T-Turn around…”

He did, and saw Haunter. “Oh, you’re from Pokémon Tower, aren’t you? No wonder she screamed again. What a wimp.”

Pikachu, Luxio, and even Cubone also greeted the ghost.

I frowned, feeling a little embarrassed. “Did you forget already, jerk?!” My anger disappeared when the ghost Pokémon floated down in front of my face and proceeded to make silly faces. Shivering, I struggled back to my feet. “I just can’t get away…”

“So, you two are wild Pokémon then?”

“Two?” With all my attention on Haunter, I failed to notice Kadabra’s appearance. He and Paul spoke like old friends. “Kadabra, too?”

“You just wanted someone to play with, huh? That’s why Haunter’s like this?”

Kadabra nodded.

Suddenly, Haunter held out its short arms to me. I froze, looking to Paul for help.

He snarled. “I’m not going to hold your hand this time. Here.” He stepped to the side and then pushed on my back, forcing me straight into Haunter’s hug.

The Pokémon cheerfully spun me in circles, floating up and down in the air. The spinning knocked that scared feeling right out of me.  _ Now, I feel like puking again... _ When Haunter set me back down, I used Paul’s shoulder to keep me steady.

“So… So they…just wanted someone to play with, huh?” I said.

“Apparently.”

Haunter suddenly approached me, holding out its hand to shake. I shuddered, but being a nice person, I shook its hand with a shaky grin on my face. “N-Nice to formally meet you. I’m R-Rosa.”

After accepting my introduction, Haunter reached a ghostly hand into my bag and yanked out an empty Poké Ball. I panicked. “Wait! Don’t—” Ignoring me, Haunter smacked the ball against its own head, getting sucked up inside. I dropped to the ground, catching the ball and hearing it click.

“Hey, look, Rosa. You did what you said you’d do. You caught a ghost Pokémon,” Paul said. “Congrats.”

“Don’t congratulate me!”

Turning to Kadabra, Paul held out a Poké Ball. “Want to come along, too?” It did.

I frowned at Luxio, Cubone, and Pikachu. “Why does this happen to me?” They all just laughed.


	20. The Road to Celadon

With our detour to Lavender Town finished, I cheered and raised my fist in the air, very excited for our next destination. “Look out, Celadon City! Rosa is on her,” my stomach suddenly roared as loud as a Gyarados, “way...”

Paul tried extremely hard not to laugh. “Someone a little hungry?”

Embarrassed, I folded my arms and looked away. “We never ate lunch.”

“Well, if we’re talking about food, I could go for a quick bite myself.”

Luxio and Pikachu made starved expressions; Cubone had gone inside his Poké Ball for a nap. “And the Pokémon need to eat, too.” I checked the time on my Pokétch. “Why don’t we stop here and eat something?”

“Actually, let’s get through that gatehouse first.” He pointed to a small building just up the road. Several guards posted outside the front entrance. “We can eat once we get past it.”

The heavy number of guards made me a little uncomfortable.

“Why is it so heavily guarded?”

“I’m not sure, but it can’t be for a good reason. That’s why we should cross first and then get to a safe distance before taking a break.”

“Agreed.”

We proceeded towards the gatehouse. The guards at the entrance wore uniforms reminiscent those of minimum-wage security cops. They never acknowledged our approach, not even turning to look in our direction, though I still felt a little unsettled by their presence. Luxio continuously growled at them. Holding him and Pikachu in my arms, I stuck close to Paul as we went inside.

The gatehouse appeared bigger than we initially thought. It had two stories. Stairs to the upper level sat on our left. On the ground floor, a gate split the room in half, and on the opposing side of it, we found an open doorway leading out to the rest of Route 7.

A single guard sat at the counter. He kicked back in his chair, arms folded and a hat covering his face. “Is he…?” I muttered.

The man emitted a snore louder than a Snorlax.

“Yep. He’s totally asleep,” Paul replied.

The room divider had been locked, with no way to climb over or go around. We also found several ominous signs posted around it. “Official business only? No travelers to Celadon City?” I read. “What kind of crap is this? Are they trying to quarantine something?”

“These signs aren’t very old either, meaning this divider got put up recently. Weird.”

I looked at him. “Well, how do we get through this? There’s no room to climb over, and we can’t go outside and around. There was a fence going for miles.”

He shrugged. “We don’t need to go around. We just go through like normal.”

“How? It’s locked, and I’m guessing only he can open it.” I gestured at the snoring guard.

“Can I borrow Pikachu?”

He caught me by surprise with that one. “What do you need her for?”

“I just need her. Please?”

Before I could respond, Pikachu leaped onto Paul’s head.

Being left with no other choice, I grinned. “As long as it’s okay with her.”

“Thanks.”

Paul stepped over to the counter. Without waking the guard, he leaned across and searched around for the mechanism to open the gate. Once found, he used Pikachu to climb over and press the corresponding buttons, whose smaller body wouldn’t make as much noise.

Suddenly, the gate opened up. “They did it,” I said to Luxio, quickly rushing through.

Paul and Pikachu hurried to our side before the gate automatically shut. Pikachu jumped back onto my shoulder. “Nice espionage work, Pikachu.” She brilliantly grinned at me. “And you too, Paul. Ever thought about being a spy?”

“Once, but then I learned they don’t get paid enough.”

We laughed.

“Hey! You kids can’t be in here!”

We jumped out of our skin, expecting the guard to set off an alarm and chase us.

It never happened.

Staring back, the guard stood up on his feet. His hat had fallen off his face, revealing eyes shut tight. He lifted a finger, and then collapsed into his chair. “I’m on...duty… Job… I take it very seriously… Need tea…” He passed out in seconds.

We hurried out the other end of the gatehouse. With no guards standing watch, Paul and I paused to regain our senses. I let out a breath I unknowingly held. “He definitely takes his job seriously, huh?” I said, struggling to laugh.

“The better question: why was he even necessary?” Paul asked. “Why would someone be trying to keep the gates closed?”

“Good question. Is it to keep people from entering or exiting Saffron, or slowing traffic into Celadon City? According to the map, there’s nothing else in between them. Plus, all the other gatehouses we’ve come across weren’t under strict guard.”

“Maybe it has something to do with Celadon then.”

“You think?”

“I mean, the doors opened out towards Saffron, and when closed, they’d keep people from leaving Celadon. It’s just a hunch, but my gut is usually right. I just hope we’re not walking into anything dangerous.”

When he spoke, Paul sounded very worried and anxious. To me, it didn’t sound like him.

Wanting to lift Paul’s mood, I smiled and patted his shoulder. “Hey, don’t let it get you down, Detective Depression. Thinking about it won’t help anybody. Now that we’ve gotten through the gatehouse, let’s think about food instead!”

“Sounds good.”

A good distance from the gatehouse, we found a lake, the perfect spot for a break. Paul and I released everyone from their Poké Balls to get some fresh air, and I failed to convince him not to let out Gyarados.

“Why are you so afraid of Gyarados?”

My eyes fixed on the Pokémon doing laps in the lake. “I just...don’t want anyone to get vaporized by Hyper Beam.” I fidgeted with my hands.

“That won’t happen. Gyarados, come here!” The Pokémon heard his master’s call and slithered out of the lake.

When the gargantuan serpent approached us, I shuddered.

Paul gripped my jacket to keep me from running away. “Don’t run off. If you can get over your fear of Haunter, you can be comfortable around Gyarados, too. You’re the one who originally caught him, remember?”

“Hey! Being a little comfortable around Haunter doesn’t mean I’m totally comfortable around ghosts. There’s a big difference.”

“Whatever. Now, behave. I saw a phone booth back that way and need to make a quick call. I’ll only be a minute.”

“Wait, Paul!”

He ignored me and walked away.

With nothing else to do, I faced Gyarados, feeling the weight of his terrifying glare. The other Pokémon ran around, enjoying the addition of Haunter’s playfulness; Cubone napped under a tree. Gyarados and I stood alone, silently facing each other. I knew to break the ice first, or at least try. “Well, Gyarados, how are you holding up since I gave you to Paul...?”

Gyarados roared in my face.

Though intimidated, I stood my ground, hoping to not be smacked in the face by some powerful Water-type attack. “Listen. I know we didn’t start off on the right foot, and I’m sorry for attacking you when we first met. I was really scared. All this time I’ve been terrified of you, your power, and your anger.

“But now, I understand that by being afraid of you, I’m judging you too harshly. I’m someone who judges at first glance, but I don’t want to remain that kind of person. I want to become stronger, a person who doesn’t judge...” I gulped after realizing that I rambled on a bit too much. “Look. Cutting the details, I’m hoping we can put all that behind us.” I held up my hand, fingers splayed out. “What do you say?”

Gyarados stared at me for a long while.

“I’m truly sorry. I don’t want to be scared, and I don’t want you to be angry. I want us to be friends. If not for me, please do it for Paul. I don’t want to cause him any trouble. It feels like I do that enough.” A part of me felt sad admitting that. “So—”

Suddenly, Gyarados bumped his gigantic nose against my hand. At first thinking he wanted to eat me, I realized that Gyarados had accepted my words and decided to trust my feelings. My cheeks ached from my wide smile. “You really mean it? Thank you, Gyarados!” He lifted his head back and grinned.

Pikachu and Luxio raced up to me, complaining about their empty bellies.

“I know, I know. Everyone’s hungry. Well, how about I make some food then? I got a bunch of yummy ingredients.” Luxio, Pikachu, and Gyarados all cheered in delight, even offering to help me cook.

As much as the Pokémon offered to help, I wanted the meal to be a surprise. Brock advised me plenty on making Pokémon food, and I felt determined to put what I learned to the test. I whipped up enough for the combined number of Pokémon: a total of seventeen!!

By the time Paul returned, every Pokémon sat before a bowl of food.

“I can’t believe you made all this. I wasn’t gone for that long,” Paul gasped.

I victoriously smirked. “When I put my mind to it, I can get a lot done in thirty minutes. I really like cooking, and I think I’m getting better at it. Well, dig in, everyone!”

Unfortunately, they all seemed skeptical to try the new recipe.

“What’s wrong? They’re not eating.”

My shoulders slumped. “They’re a little worried. After all, my last few attempts to make food have all ended terribly. Guys, please relax! I learned a few things from a really smart friend, so the recipe is a lot better than before. Just give it a try.”

Everyone volunteered Luxio to try the food first. Though a little terrified, he took a small bite and gulped it down. I pressed my hands together, knuckles turning white as I prayed for satisfactory results.

In an instant, Luxio’s eyes sparkled. He shoved his face into the bowl and began inhaling his food. The other Pokémon followed his lead. Soon, everyone stuffed their faces, looking beyond satisfied with their meal.

My heart nearly gave out from the overwhelming reviews. “Yay! They like it!”

Paul sat on a blanket and watched in astonishment. “Wow. That’s impressive, Rosa. I still can’t make Pokémon food to save my life, but just a few attempts and they seem to really love yours.”

I joined him, happily gazing at all the Pokémon. “I’m glad. I worked really hard on improving that recipe. We can’t have our Pokémon eating poor food, now can we? Intense training requires healthy diets.”

Paul dramatically sighed. “I just wish we cared the same about ourselves.”

“What are you talking about?”

He held up a single apple.

“That’s your entire meal?”

“Unfortunately. An apple a day doesn’t exactly cut it, huh?”

“Well, they say an apple a day keeps the...surgeon away? Something like that.”

Paul shot me a disappointed look. “It’s ‘doctor’ actually, and I’m not sick. I just spent more money on supplies and failed to consider my own meals.”

“Well, it’s a good thing I came prepared.” I put a loosely-wrapped package in his face.

He peered at it like it was a bomb. “Is that...for me?”

“Well, it’s not for the Pokémon. Are you going to take it or just stare at it?”

Still a little wary, Paul accepted the parcel. “Uh, thanks.” He carefully tore open the paper and marveled at a sandwich with multiple layers of meat, veggies, cheese, and condiments. His jaw hit the ground.

Our Pokémon caught sight of the sandwich and drooled, and I noticed. “Better eat it fast before somebody snatches it.”

“R-Right.” He hesitantly took the first bite, and then froze. I stared, waiting for him to either swallow or spit it out. Anything, really; I just wanted a reaction. To my surprise, Paul’s eyes started to sparkle the second after he swallowed. “It’s delicious!”

Unable to hide the smile on my face, I nibbled on my sandwich to cover it, eating slowly to savor every bite. “Better than a stupid apple?”

“By a long shot!”

The Pokémon all complained that they didn’t get to eat sandwiches. “Sorry. There’s a lot of things on these you shouldn’t have, but it’s not like I didn’t expect your reaction. You guys can have some of these instead.” I retrieved a third bundle and carefully opened it up: multiple portions of rice pressed into cute shapes.

“Rice balls?!” Paul gasped.

I never knew until then that Paul could be excited about something. “I take it you like rice balls?”

“They’re my favorite.”

“Really? They’re mine too! In fact, I—” I stopped myself from fangirling over rice balls when Paul’s sparkling eyes met mine. We both looked like we just entered dreamland. I felt extremely embarrassed for letting go of myself, and dialed down the excitement. “Uh, well, the round ones have pickled plums, and the triangular ones have kelp. Please, have as many as you want.”

Paul took two of each flavor. When I set the tray down in the center of our group, he didn’t appreciate the kind gesture. “Hey, don’t feed my Pokémon snacks! They’ll get fat and lazy.”

“Relax,  _ mom _ . Light snacks are good to give to your Pokémon. Think of it as a treat for all of their hard work.” I handed a kelp rice ball to Luxio, who flicked his tail back and forth. “And as long as we’re stuck together, I’ll treat your Pokémon just like mine.”

He glared at me. “You’re so damn annoying.”

Ignoring his comment, I blissfully ate my sandwich, relishing the sight of everyone eating my food.

“When did you even find time to pick these up?”

“I had a feeling we wouldn’t have time for a decent meal today, so this morning before we left for Lavender Town, I packed them for us. Now seriously, make sure to eat your fill while you can.”

“I’ve got to hand it to you. You may be annoying, but you know good food when you see it. Where’d you buy these anyway?”

I paused, my sandwich barely touching my lips. “I didn’t. I made them.”

He gazed over at me in surprise.

His shock slightly offended me. “I told you I could cook, didn’t I?”

“Wow, I…” His cheeks were tinted red. “I don’t even know what to say. I mean, if you’re looking for a second career, you could make a living off selling these, or the rice balls. How’d you get them to taste so good?”

“Chef’s secrets.”

He shot me a look.

“It’s true. I won’t give away my secrets. Rice balls happen to be the one thing I’ve always been able to make. Nowadays, I can make them with my eyes closed and limited ingredients.” I looked out at everyone. “So eat as many rice balls as you can, guys! Making more is easy!”

Everyone cheered.

“Does that go for me too?” Paul asked.

“Well, if you like them that much, I suppose I’d be fine making more...”

He made a fist. “Sweet!”

Paul’s uncharacteristic cheer sparked a funny feeling in my chest. I ignored it and focused on finishing my sandwich. My mind drifted to Paul’s momentary disappearance while I made all the delicious food. “Oh yeah. What was your phone call about?”

“Hmm? Oh. Just a quick call to my brother.”

I tapped a finger to my chin. “Now that you mention it, I should give Volt a call. I haven’t talked to him in a while.”

“Why do you call him Volt?”

“I couldn’t pronounce his name as a kid, and then that nickname stuck.”

He nodded. “I see. And what’s with the nickname he has for you?  _ Sparkler _ ?”

I spat out the water in my mouth. “Where did you hear that?!”

“You called him back on Porta Vista. Of course, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on the conversation, but I overheard him calling you  _ Sparkler _ a few times.”

My face turned a deep shade of red. It took me a second to respond. “I just…I just like Electric-type Pokémon a lot, I guess. It doesn’t have any deep meaning or anything, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

He squinted, making me nervous. “Why do I feel like that was a lie?”

“Hey, cut it out! It’s just a stupid nickname. That’s all.”

Paul backed off, leaving a tense air between the two of us. He lightened the mood first by asking, “Have I ever told you my brother’s name?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

“His name’s Reggie, but I don’t have a cute name for him or anything.”

“I didn’t think you did. Reggie, huh?” I sat back and imagined a boy taller than Paul also sporting purple hair; perhaps, a slightly different shade of purple. Then, I beamed. “That’s a good name. He’s a top Trainer, right?”

“Yeah. He may not be a Gym Leader like Volkner, but he’s still strong. He’s gone around to all regions around the world and collected every Gym Badge possible. That’s who I want to be like.”

“Your brother?”

“Well, no. Just a strong Trainer who’s won lots of Badges.” He stood up. “That’s why we have to get to the next one quickly, and that’s in Celadon City.”

“There’s no rush. If we go straight along this path, we should reach Celadon City by the end of the day. And you also just ate, so careful of cramps.”

Suddenly, Mankey jumped over to me, bouncing around my legs.

“Are you still hungry after all that? Well, I got one rice ball left. Here.” I held out my pickled plum rice ball. Mankey snatched it and sat back down to eat. “He likes it a lot. Just like his unpleasant Trainer.”

Paul staggered and then turned his back on me. “Tch. I was just hungry.”

“Yes, hungry, as in devouring them so fast you should have the hiccups right now.”

“I’m going to wash my hands and face real quick. Then we can go.” He went over to the lake.

When I finished my lunch, I stood up and stretched, dusting the dirt off my butt. “Well, I suppose Paul’s right, gang. We should hit the road so we can get that next gym badge as soon as possible.”

After cleaning up, I recalled all of my Pokémon except for Pikachu and Luxio.

Paul did the same.

However, when he got to Mankey, the Pokémon suddenly stood up and chucked his rice ball. The ball got sucked up into the Poké Ball instead of the Pokémon itself. “I caught a rice ball?” Paul muttered.

“What a waste of a good throw,” I giggled.

“Hey, shut it!” He looked back at Mankey, who scowled. “Mankey?”

I noted the vicious glare on the monkey’s face. “He looks a little angry.”

My Pokédex beeped. “ _ Although Mankey is usually calm and gentle, it does have a bad temper. Once Mankey begins to use Thrash, stopping it is impossible. _ ”

“It can’t be stopped?” repeated Paul.

Out of nowhere, the Pokémon charged at us, fists flailing. Paul and I bolted down the road. “It’s because you went and interrupted his snacktime, dammit!” I screamed. “This is your responsibility! Make him stop, Paul!”

He shot a nasty glare in my direction. “Don’t make the rice ball taste so good next time!”

“This ain’t my fault!!”

Paul peered back over his shoulder. “Mankey, cut it out! That’s enough!” Mankey listened about as well as a four-year-old. “Grudges over food are scary! Maybe your rice balls can win him over enough to stop him!”

“It’s worth a try!” I stopped. Pikachu grabbed the last rice ball from my bag and handed it off to me. “Poké Ball—!”

Paul got so shocked by my incorrect words that he and Luxio fell over.

“Oh, sorry. Rice ball, go!” I chucked the rice ball. Mankey tore it to pieces, still charging at us. “Ah! That was the last one, too!”

As I started to run, I tripped on a rock and fell.

“Rosa!” Paul called out in alarm.

I scrambled to my knees, but Mankey approached fast, too fast for me to outrun. I screamed and reflexively hid my face in my hands. To my surprise, the Pokémon hopped over me, using my head like a springboard to launch himself at his Trainer. Mankey proceeded to beat up Paul, kicking up a dust cloud to cover their dispute.

Luxio and Pikachu helped me onto my feet. “I’m fine! We have to help somehow!” I wanted to help, but all three of us worried about getting attacked by Mankey if we stepped any closer.

After a moment, the dust cloud began to dissipate. Paul threw Mankey over his shoulders into a nearby tree. Then, he collapsed, breathing hard from the tussle. Mankey slowly got back onto his feet.

I raced over to my bruised and battered friend. “Paul, are you okay?”

“I will be. Mankey sure knows how to give a good thrashing. Glad I caught him.”

“This is no time to praise his power! You nearly got beat to death!”

He used my arm for support. “Where’s Mankey?”

I pointed over at the tree. Mankey climbed to the top, jumping up and down in delight.

Paul raced over and shouted abuse. “You little jerk, get back down here right now!”

I frowned. “Well, I didn’t think he would’ve come down if you asked nicely...”

“That’s it!” He frantically looked around his feet.

“What are you looking for?”

“A rock.” He plucked a pebble from the ground and pulled his arm back.

I latched onto Paul’s arm. “I wouldn’t throw a rock at him! That’ll make everything worse!”

“It can’t be worse than getting beaten up by your own Pokémon!”

“Use another Pokémon to get him down!”

He shoved me aside. “No way!” His pebble shot into the air.

_ It can’t hit Mankey!! _

“Thunder Bolt on the rock!” Both Pikachu and Luxio fired off bolts of lightning to destroy the rock. Pikachu’s attack obliterated the stone; Luxio’s attack landed a direct hit on Mankey. My heart came to a complete stop watching Mankey fall from the tree, muffling my gasp with a hand. “Uh oh.”

Mankey jumped up on top of a boulder, glaring at the ones responsible for his pain. His eyes glowed, and soon his whole body did the same. “I think he’s mad,” I muttered, backing away.

When the light faded, Mankey changed into a much bigger monkey.

“He evolved?!”

“Uh, Dex, just how much trouble are we in now?” I shrieked.

My Pokédex replied by scanning the evolved Pokémon. “ _ Primeape, the Pig Monkey Pokémon, and the evolved form of Mankey. It is always outrageously furious. If you make eye contact with a Primeape, it will chase you forever. _ ”

Primeape leaped forward and aimed a swift right hook at us. Everyone jumped out of the way.

“Is it mad because we attacked it?” Paul asked.

I snarled at him. “I’d attack too if you threw a rock at me!”

“Well, he’d be a lot easier if you didn’t fire off that attack!” Primeape lunged again, flailing his arms and legs as quick as lightning. “We’ve got to try and calm him down! Try another attack!”

“Thunder Bolt, again!” They blasted Primeape with another powerful lightning bolt. He glared at us and stomped around. “That attack made him angrier!”

My Pokédex replied, “ _ Once Primeape begins its strongest attack, Thrash, it goes completely out of control. _ ”

I shivered. “I think we’re in big trouble…”

Primeape charged at us with the intent to kill.

“Run!” We turned and raced away at the speed of light.

Primeape chased us into a canyon, leaving a trail of dust in his wake. We did our best to remain on the path. However, keeping to the path made it harder to lose Primeape. He stayed on our tails the entire way, and I already ran faster than I’ve ever run in my life.

“If we split up, maybe we can lose it!” I suggested to Paul running beside me.

“Okay!” he called back.

We came across a fork in the path, where Paul and I split up. I hoped that his Pokémon would follow him. As my luck goes, Primeape kept chasing after me, and Pikachu and Luxio, too! He never slowed down either. “Uh oh! It doesn’t look like Primeape is very easy to lose!”

They warned me not to look him in the eye.

“I know that! At least Paul is safe, for now. Luxio, try to slow it down with Swift!”

Luxio waved his tail and fired the attack behind him.

Primeape’s feet took a direct hit. Like our previous attack, the Pokémon looked completely unaffected. I called move after move in hopes that something would slow him down even a little. Nope. Nothing.

I grimaced when my Pokémon started to heavily pant, knowing I had to help them out.

“Return!” They both protested even as they were forced into their Poké Balls. “Sorry, but you need to be safe, too. Don’t worry! I’ll think of something!” I spotted Primeape still just a few feet back and desperately increased my speed.

Snaking through the canyon, I leaped high over boulders and turned sharp corners to try losing my pursuer. Unfortunately, Primeape’s bulky body allowed him to bulldoze straight through all obstacles in his path. “My agility...is on par with his strength?! Primeape’s a pretty powerful Pokémon! I hope Paul can figure something out soon, because I can’t keep this up much long—AH!”

Not paying attention, I barreled straight off a short cliff. I managed to land on my feet, but by stumbling and slowing down to catch myself, Primeape caught up to me in seconds. He cut off the path in front of me.

I staggered back. “Listen, Primeape! I’m sorry about earlier, and for all those other attacks! I really am, so please calm down already! No more games!” My fingers grasped at the Poké Balls on my belt, but I couldn’t decide which one.

_ Who’s strong enough to take on this enraged Pokémon? _

In my moment of hesitation, Primeape launched himself at me. I shielded my face.

A Gyarados popped out from absolutely nowhere, bit down on Primeape’s leg, and hurtled him into the side of the cliff. Then, he reared up in front of me and emitted a roar that reverberated through my body, threatening Primeape if it came any closer. “Gyarados?!”

“Rosa!”

I beamed at the sight of Paul approaching. “Nice timing!”

Paul approached Gyarados and faced down his enraged Pokémon. “Primeape, stop attacking Rosa! I’m the one who threw the rock in the first place, so as your Trainer, I’ll make sure you calm down now! Since you seem so energetic, how about a battle?”

Primeape rose back to his feet, huffing and puffing.

“Unless you’re just a big coward, of course, but I didn’t take you to be the scared type!”

Primeape’s entire body turned red, and he stomped his feet like a bull ready to charge.

“What the hell are you doing, Paul? Primeape’s gonna tear you a new one!”

“That’s the point!” He saw my baffled expression. “Primeape just wants some attention.”

“Attention? That’s why he’s so angry?”

“Yep. He’s probably upset over not being in many battles lately, to the point where we only needed to attack him once before he went over the edge. Now, I’ll give him exactly what he wants!”

“Why do you have to be so stubborn?” Nothing else to argue, I stepped back. Luxio and Pikachu emerged to see what happened, glaring at me for stuffing them in their Poké Balls so suddenly. “It was necessary.”

Gyarados roared at Primeape again. The two locked eyes, trying their hardest to intimidate the other.

“Primeape, are you sure you want to fight? We won’t go easy on you!”

The Pokémon responded by launching a kick at Gyarados.

“That’s Mega Kick!” I warned.

“Hydro Pump!” Gyarados blasted Primeape with an intense water blast. He deflected the water with his foot and then jumped to a safe distance.

“Uh oh.” I squeezed Pikachu and Luxio.

“Hit it with Flamethrower!” Gyarados launched a powerful stream of fire. Primeape dodged before pounding Gyarados in the face with several punches and karate chops. “Hang in there for just a bit longer!” Despite Primeape’s relentless attacks, Gyarados managed to resist them all, still holding the resolve to defeat his comrade.

“It helps that Gyarados is part Flying-type,” I muttered to my Pokémon.

Once Primeape visibly got tired, Paul called to Gyarados, “Rage!” Suddenly, Gyarados’s eyes shot open, and he spun around smacking his tail into his opponent. I gasped in shock when Primeape got knocked to the ground. He stood back up, only to meet Gyarados’s vicious attack. A fist collided with a tail, and for every hit exchanged by the pair, the sea serpent only grew more powerful.

“Finish it with Hyper Beam!” Gyarados unleashed Hyper Beam at point-blank range. The attack roasted Primeape, leaving him covered in black soot. “Great, Gyarados!”

I stepped up beside them. “But, is Primeape okay?” When I saw the Pokémon stagger and tip over, my feet moved by themselves despite Paul’s warnings. I caught Primeape before he could hit the ground, petting his head as he stared up at me. “Are you feeling any better now, Primeape?”

Bursting into tears, Primeape hugged me and apologized for his temper tantrum.

Giggling, I rubbed his back. “Apology accepted. I’m sorry we attacked you.”

Paul stepped over to us. “Why don’t we all take a rest now?” With a scowl, he recalled his Pokémon.

Once Primeape vanished, the strength in my legs gave out, all the adrenaline having slowly fizzled away. My body succumbed to pure exhaustion. A deep sigh escaped my lips as I tipped backward.

Paul caught me by the shoulders before I could hit the ground.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah.” I quickly returned to a solid stance. “That run took more out of me than I thought.”

He rubbed the back of his head. “Sorry you got dragged into that. It’s my fault he targeted you.”

“Hey, it’s no big deal. Everyone’s back to normal and not beaten to a pulp. That’s all that matters, right?”

“Care a little more about yourself, Girlie!” The sudden aggression in his voice alarmed me. However, he registered the outburst and dialed the volume down before I had a chance to react. “I mean, are you okay? Like, really okay?”

Connecting his shouting to a caring heart, I smiled. “I’m fine. Thanks.”

Gyarados leaned down and bumped his giant nose against my back.

I turned around and threw my arms around his face. “Of course, I should be thanking you! You’re the one who protected me from Primeape, not this sorry excuse of a Trainer over here.”

“The sorry excuse of a Trainer who just saved your ass?!”

“Gyarados did the actual fighting, not you—” Paul recalled the gigantic Pokémon to his ball, making me lose my balance. “What was that for?”

“Sorry, Girlie. He needs a rest, too.”

“Don’t call me that! You’re going to need more than a rest if you keep it up!”

Standing by a cliff, Pikachu and Luxio called back to us, interrupting another potential argument. “What is it, guys?” I raced over to them, finding a magnificent cityscape just beyond the canyon. “Ah! Paul, get over here!”

He rushed over to my side and gasped in delight. “There’s Celadon City! We’re right on the doorstep!”

I clapped my hands together. “You know, if Primeape didn’t chase us, we wouldn’t have gotten here as fast as we did.”

“Nice job, Primeape. Now, let’s get another Badge.”

“Me first!” I raced down the hill, tempted to beat Paul to the Gym.


	21. City of Rainbow Dreams

We arrived in Celadon City, a place known for its tall buildings, swarming crowds of people, and flower shops. To me, it was large and bustling, but unlike the madness of cities such as Saffron, Celadon possessed a calm, cosmopolitan atmosphere. The people we came across seemed polite, going about their business as usual.

After making a short stop at the Pokémon Center, Paul and I walked up and down the streets looking for the Gym. It seemed impossible to us with all of the skyscrapers, even with a map in our hands.

We wandered for about half an hour until my nose picked up a lovely scent, something very fragrant and delicious. Pikachu caught a whiff of whatever I did, too. “Do you guys smell that?”

“Smell what?” Paul asked.

“Perfume, I think. It smells heavenly. Pikachu, do you think you can find it?” Pikachu guided me down the street, leaving Paul and Luxio in our dust.

Our noses led us to a popular perfume shop, titled  _ Perfume Palace, _ in big green letters on a banner above the door. The outside was painted a dark, natural green color. On the bay window, various perfume collections sat on display, capturing my attention like a magnet.

Paul and Luxio caught up to us. “What are you making faces at, Rosa? We’ve got a Gym to find.”

“The Gym isn’t going anywhere, and I just want to have a look inside. I won’t be long.”

He grumbled and folded his arms. “What is it with girls and perfume?”

“What is it with boys being an annoyance?” I opened the door and stepped inside.

Listening to the doorbell ring, Pikachu and I carefully looked about the room. The source of the pleasant smell turned out to be the entire shop, not just a specific perfume bottle. I appeared not to be the only person delighted by the aroma either. Lots of other ladies browsed the massive collection, and a few men sprinkled amongst them.

Pikachu directed me over to a collection of rose-scented perfumes. “Pikachu, did my name have anything to do with you picking these out?” I asked. She sheepishly looked away with a faint blush. “You’re the absolute best.”

A lady approached us, wearing a pink uniform and green hair put up in pigtails. “Hi there, and welcome to our shop. My name’s Anna. Would you like to try a sample, ma’am?”

“Yes, please, and you can just call me Rosa.”

She giggled sweetly. “I can see why you picked this one then.”

Anna sat me down in a chair, bringing out a bottle of the rose perfume. “This one is a best-seller. It’s called  _ Summer Embrace _ . It’s a mix of rosebuds and vanilla, plus a touch of mandarin, magnolia, and sandalwood. A very nice scent all year-round.” She spritzed a bit of perfume onto my wrist.

Pikachu and I both took a sniff. “It smells divine!”

“If you like this one, I recommend trying this scent. It’s called  _ Daffodil Dream _ .” She quickly retrieved a perfume bottle near the checkout counter. Then she sprayed it on my unscented wrist.

The minute I smelled that perfume, I muttered, “It smells just like a garden.”

One of Anna’s coworkers approached us with a big smile. “We’re having a fragrance sale today and tomorrow.”

“I really liked  _ Summer’s Embrace _ . How much does it cost?”

Before they could answer, Paul rushed inside the fragrance store. “Don’t buy it, Rosa!”

It surprised me to find him here at all. “Wha… What are you—?!”

He jumped in my face. “Perfume’s just a waste of money, and it stinks!”

“Go away,” I growled in a low voice.

A new voice said, “I resent that remark.” We all turned to see a lady approach in a blue kimono with pink flowers. She had sharp, green eyes and black hair, and seemed to be about my age.

“The manager!” gasped Anna and her coworker.

“Manager?” Paul and I both said with a gulp.  _ Managing a business at her age? Way to go! _

She marched right up to Paul. “Young man, are you accusing me of overcharging my customers for inferior perfume?”

“Uh, no, ma’am. I meant all perfumes are a ripoff. All they do is turn guys into zombies.”

“Is that what he thinks?” I muttered to both my Pokémon.

Anna knelt beside me and whispered, “Do you know this boy?”

I sighed. “Unfortunately, yes.”

The manager angrily glared at Paul and pointed a finger towards him, making him back away in fear. “P for Purity, E for elegant, R for radiant, F for fun, U for urbane, M for mysterious, E for energy. What does that spell?”

“Perfume!” barked her two employees.

Paul laughed and crossed his arms. “I don’t need that smelly crap to give me energy. I’m full of it. I’ve got more energy than I know what to do with.”

I glared at him. “Why don’t you use some of it to keep your mouth shut?”

The store manager said, “If you object to our products so much, perhaps you should leave. All the girls here sell perfume, and all my customers buy perfume. In a way, it means you find us all offensive.”

“You should be ashamed of yourself!” Anna cried.

“Insensitive little worm!” added one of her coworkers.

“Uh, what’d I say?” Paul asked. I slapped a hand against my forehead when the girls kicked him right out of the store, threatening him never to come back. He stood up and yelled back at everyone, “I don’t want to come back! I’m on my way to the Celadon City Gym!”

“He really should’ve kept his mouth shut,” I groaned.

The store manager cleared her throat and looked over at me. “I apologize.”

I sheepishly waved a hand. “No, you don’t need to apologize at all. I have firsthand experience when it comes to Paul. If anyone should apologize, it’s me. I’m the only reason he came in here.”

“I’m sorry you have to deal with him,” replied Anna.

“My apologies as well,” giggled the manager. “As an apology, I’d like to let you take home that perfume without paying a single penny.”

My eyes popped out of their sockets. “What?! Seriously?!”

“Of course. I am the manager, after all, and you seem to be attracted to that bottle.”

“It…It’s true. The scent is enchanting, and I do have a thing for roses. But are you sure I can take it for free? I don’t want to cause any more trouble than I already have.”

“Nonsense. Please take it. Call it a scent-sational gift.”

The pun made me cringe. Shaking my head, I looked at the perfume displays all around the room. “Where do you manufacture your perfume, by the way?”

“At the Celadon Gym.”

“Amazing! That means the Gym Leader must love perfume more than anyone.”

She chuckled. “I don’t know about that, but I do love perfume.”

I gazed at her, putting two and two together. “Wait. Does that mean…?”

She playfully slapped a hand over her mouth. “Whoops. I guess there’s no hiding it anymore. I’m Erika, the Celadon City Gym Leader.”

“You’re the Gym Leader?!” I shot up onto my feet and bowed. “I apologize for not figuring it out sooner. My name’s Rosa. It’s an honor to meet you, and I’m terribly sorry we had to meet under not so pleasant circumstances.”

“What are you talking about? Meeting you has been lovely.”

I blushed.

“So then, Rosa, while I appreciate your attention to my store, I imagine that’s not why you came to this city. You’re a Pokémon Trainer, right? And I’m guessing you want to have a battle?”

“That’s right. I’d love to have a battle! It’ll be my fourth Badge.”

“Well, I hate to keep you waiting. I get off in ten minutes.”

“I can wait for ten minutes, no problem.”

“Perfect. Then, I can take you to the Gym myself.”

“That’s so great, Erika! Thank you!”

Pikachu, Luxio, and I spent those ten minutes browsing the store’s perfume collection. In addition to the free perfume bottle, I bought a few more, including  _ Daffodil Dream _ . Luxio picked out a perfume with the essence of the Lily of the Valley flower, and Pikachu selected one that reminded us of cherry blossoms. They each came with a protective case to keep them from shattering in my bag.

“My bag would smell terrible if they all broke,” I noted.

“We can stop by the Pokémon Center so you can mail those out real quick,” Erika suggested, walking at my side. Many people waved to her as we passed them on the streets.

“Oh, no. I’d much rather have my Gym Battle first. The perfume can wait.”

“You said this’ll be your fourth Badge, right? I imagine you’ve put together quite a diverse team of Pokémon by now.”

“Yep, and they’re all in the best condition. No matter what kind of Pokémon you use today, Erika, we’re ready to take you on at full charge.”

“Then I’m really looking forward to our battle. I didn’t have any other challengers scheduled for the day, as far as I know.”

“Really? None at all? That’s strange. Don’t Gym Leaders get a whole lineup of challengers every day?”

“That’s normally the case, but for the past few weeks, Trainers haven’t been coming through Celadon City in the numbers like they usually do. My Gym’s been really quiet. At least I’ve been able to spend more time with my Pokémon and at the store.”

“The past few weeks?” Luxio barked at me, reminding me of the gatehouse incident. “I thought about that too. Do you remember what Paul said about the signs being posted up recently? There’s no way it can be a coincidence.”

Erika raised an eyebrow. “What about a coincidence?”

“You see, Paul and I came here from Lavender Town. However, when we got to the gatehouse on Route 7, we found it blocked off by a tall gate, unable to get through without an official admitting clearance. Guards were posted all over the place. We only got through by sneaking around.”

“You’re kidding! Nobody mentioned the gatehouse being turned into a checkpoint, but if that’s the case, it would explain the shortage of Trainers. I wonder who commissioned something like that in the first place, and why nobody in the city has mentioned anything about it. A project that big needs a city hall debate.”

I got a little nervous. “Now, it sounds like some sort of illegal operation, and that makes it scary. Is something terrible about to happen here?”

“I sure hope not. Do you mind if I make a phone call real quick? I have a friend on the police force who needs to hear this right away.”

“Of course not. They should know.”

We made a stop at a phone booth so Erika could call her friend. I stood a bit away, gazing up and down our street. “At first glance, this city seems so peaceful. I’d hate to imagine someone trying to ruin the good atmosphere,” I muttered to my Pokémon.

Pikachu tapped my cheek. She worried about Paul and wanted to know where he went.

My corners of my mouth tilted downward. “Good question. I want to know that, too. He disappeared after getting himself kicked out, no messages or anything. If something dangerous is about to happen, I’d feel better knowing he’s safe.”

Luxio asked if I wanted to put the battle on hold and go find our friend.

I hesitated for a moment but shook my head. “No. It’s true that I’m worried, but I have to believe that Paul can handle himself. At the very least, I can send him a message to let him know where we’ll be.” I used my Pokétch to send Paul—my second of only two contacts—the quick message. “Besides, whenever we do find him, I’d like to show off my new Badge.” They both smiled at me.

“Are you talking about that boy we kicked out of my shop?” Erika asked.

Her sudden voice made me jump. “Oh, Erika! I didn’t know you were done!”

“My bad. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

I patted my chest and took deep breaths to calm down. “It’s fine…”

“Please don’t take this the wrong way, Rosa, but I didn’t imagine you to worry so much over a guy like that. To be completely honest, learning the two of you are friends who travel together, well, it surprised me.”

I couldn’t help but let out the tiniest laugh. “It still surprises me, too.”

“He doesn’t really seem like the kind of person to care about others, so earning somebody else’s care or trust is out of the question. Plus, the way he acted in that perfume shop compared to your love for perfume, it just doesn’t seem to add up.”

A part of me wanted to start crying. “If you noticed all that, I wonder what everybody thinks when they see us together.”

Erika got anxious and patted my shoulder. “Ah, I’m sorry. It goes without question that you’re one of the nicest people ever. The idea of someone like you, friends with someone like him, is a little baffling.”

Nervous, my fingertips pressed together. “I get what you mean, Erika. Paul thinks before he speaks and ends up insulting people without realizing. Impulsive. Arrogant. Rude. He’s not a pleasant person to be around.”

The Gym Leader frowned at me. “You know, when you put it like that—”

“But,” I made a tiny smile, “Paul’s not the  _ worst _ person in the world, and he’s still my friend. I don’t have very many of those.” Erika gazed at me with a perplexed expression. “It may not seem like it, but even Paul has a few good qualities.”

She rapidly blinked. “He does?”

“Yeah.” I giggled and put my hands on my head. “What’s not to love about purple hair?”

After a moment, Erika slapped a hand over her mouth and laughed.

★

When we finally reached the Gym, Erika pointed out the massive red flower on the roof. “It’s hard to miss once you find it the first time,” Erika said. “The building’s supposed to resemble a Vileplume.”

“A Vileplume?” I repeated.

Dex presented an entry of the Pokémon in question. “ _ Vileplume the Flower Pokémon, and the final evolved form of Oddish. Using the largest flower petals in the world, it spreads large clouds of toxic pollen that cause allergic reactions. _ ”

I noted Vileplume’s dual typing.  _ A Grass-type, and a Poison-type? That could mean that this Gym, and Erika specifically, specializes in— _

Sliding glass doors suddenly appeared in front of us, automatically opening. A woman with blue hair wearing a camper’s uniform greeted us. “Welcome back, Erika,” she said with a welcoming smile. Several other girls in similar uniforms beamed at the sight of their Gym Leader.

“Thank you, Livvi,” Erika replied with a bow. I mimicked her. “Any trouble while I was away?”

“Nothing, unfortunately.”

Erika smiled. “Good.” Then, she lifted a hand in my direction. “This is Rosa. I met her back at the perfume shop. She’s here to challenge me today.”

“Well then, you certainly have good taste, Rosa,” Livvi excitedly said. “Or, good smell, actually.”

I laughed. “Thank you.”

Erika led me past the front desk, stopping before a pair of double doors. She opened them to reveal a magnificent room layered with all kinds of trees and plants. Multiple flower beds spread out across the ground, filled with beautiful flowers. Tall hedges lined all walls not occupied by windows. Flower-covered archways marked a path weaving through the trees.

The Gym Leader guided me through the greenhouse. The vast number of plants certainly amazed me, but the number of Pokémon living amongst them left me floored. “There are so many Grass-types here!” I gasped in amazement.

My Pokédex gave me information on the multitude of Pokémon. “ _ Weepinbell the Flycatcher Pokémon, and the evolved form of Bellsprout. Weepinbell looks like a plant and covers opponents with a poisonous powder in order to catch them. _ ”

“ _ Victreebel the Flycatcher Pokémon, and the evolved form of Weepinbell. Victreebel is the final form of Bellsprout. This horrifying plant Pokémon attracts prey with aromatic honey, then melts them in its mouth. _ ”

“ _ Exeggcute the Egg Pokémon. Although it resembles an egg, it is known to be more closely related to the seed of a plant. Using telepathy only they can receive, they always form a cluster of six Exeggcute. _ ”

“ _ Tangela the Vine Pokémon. Its body is wrapped in vines that are very similar to seaweed. The rest of its form is hidden beneath these vines, which are said to never stop growing. _ ”

“ _ Gloom the Weed Pokémon, and the evolved form of Oddish. Gloom gives off a very unpleasant smell. It can cause those to smell it to faint from two miles away. _ ”

Putting away my Pokédex, I looked up at the awe-inspiring Gym Leader. She saw my mesmerized expression and laughed. “You’re giving me far too much credit here, Rosa. A lot of these Pokémon don’t actually belong to me. I just help fellow Trainers take care of them.”

“Well, your Gym is still impressive.”

“Question: have you figured out what type of Pokémon I specialize in?”

“I’m going out on a limb here. Grass-types?”

“Yep. I use Grass-type Pokémon, and our match will be a three-on-three.”

“Where are we going to battle though? I don’t want any attacks to hit the other Pokémon by accident, especially Fire-type attacks.”

“It’s nice to know you care about not only people but Pokémon, too, but collateral damage won’t be an issue. We can battle over here.”

Erika brought me to the back end of the greenhouse. A huge battlefield had been drawn on the dirt, providing more space than your average battlefield. “Just how big is this Gym?!” I yelped.

The Gym Leader laughed at my face. “We can start whenever you’re ready, Rosa.”

Without hesitation, I replied: “I’m ready!”

Erika and I took our spots on the battlefield. The Gym Leader asked Livvi to be our referee for the match. She happily obliged, while other Trainers lined the bleachers on either side of the field.

“The Gym battle between the challenger, Rosa, and the Gym Leader, Erika, will now begin. The Trainers will each use three Pokémon, and the battle will be over when all three on either side are unable to continue. Furthermore, only the challenger is allowed to substitute their Pokémon. Fair?”

“All good here!” Erika and I called at the same time.

“My Pokémon will be Tangela! Go!” Erika called out a Pokémon exactly like the one I registered on the Pokédex earlier: a clump of blue vines with red shoes and a pair of eyes looking out.

“Pidgeotto, it’s showtime!” I sent my bird Pokémon into the air, who circled a few times before standing across from her opponent.

“You can go first, Rosa.”

“With pleasure. Pidgeotto use Wing Attack!” Pidgeotto shot forward and slammed her wings into Tangela’s body, knocking it off its feet. “Nice hit! Follow it up with Quick Attack!” She flipped and dived straight at her opponent, quickly gaining speed.

“Tangela use Vine Whip!” Tangela launched two vines and trapped Pidgeotto in them.

“Ah, Pidgeotto!”

“Now use Stun Spore!” Tangela released a cloud of yellow paralyzing powder.

“Pidgeotto, you have to use all your strength and fly up!” Pidgeotto pushed hard against the vines keeping her in place. Eventually, Tangela lost its footing, allowing my bird to freely fly around. She managed to drag Tangela into the Stun Spore cloud, making it paralyze itself.

Tangela fell to the ground hard, trying desperately to move again. “Oh no! Tangela, you’ve got to snap out of it!”

“Quick Attack, again!” Pidgeotto flew along the ground like a bullet, crashing into her opponent with a speedy attack.

Tangela rolled back on the ground and passed out. “Tangela!” Erika gasped.

“Great work, Pidgeotto.” Though we did win the round, Pidgeotto received a small hit from the Stun Spore, judging by her heavy panting. Hesitation wasn’t an option. “I say you come back and take a rest. You deserve it.” I recalled Pidgeotto for a rest.

“You’re up next, love!” Erika sent out her second Pokémon, a Weepinbell.

“Okay, I think it’s time for you to come out. Charmander, knock ‘em dead!” Charmander emerged from her Poké Ball ready for a fight.

“We better get a headstart! Weepinbell use Razor Leaf now!” Weepinbell spun in circles to release multiple razor-sharp leaves. They all launched directly at Charmander.

“Charmander use Flamethrower!” Charmander’s powerful flames easily mowed down the attack. Weepinbell helplessly defended itself against the flaming leaves raining down all around it. “Way to go! Finish with Skull Bash!” My Pokémon slammed her hard skull straight into her opponent and sent it flying.

Weepinbell fell in front of Erika, burnt and unconscious. Erika recalled her Pokémon.

“You good to keep going, Charmander?” She looked back and flicked her flaming tail.

“Your battle skills are very impressive, Rosa,” Erika said. “You also seem to have a lot of empathy towards your Pokémon, which is even more impressive. I admit that I might lose this battle, but if I do, I’ll at least do it giving everything I have. Now then, it’s my turn to show you the empathy I have towards my Pokémon. Gloom go!”

The minute Gloom appeared from its Poké Ball, a cloud of its signature foul stench lifted into the air. Charmander tensed up, quickly covering her nose as the smell headed her way. I needed to get rid of it quickly.  _ Filling the air with a smoke cloud might do the trick! _

“I want you to fight back that smell with Smokescreen, Charmander!”

Without releasing her nose, Charmander opened her mouth and released thick, black smoke into the air. It clashed with Gloom’s stench cloud and merged with it, lightening the bad odor enough for my Pokémon to withstand the smell.

Erika sounded a little frustrated after I got rid of her trump card.

“Gloom, launch a Razor Leaf attack into the smoke!”

“Not so fast! Light up the smoke with Ember!” Charmander released bolts of flame from her mouth. Making contact with the pungent smoke and gas combination, we caused a massive explosion. It incinerated Gloom’s Razor Leaf attack, if it ever even had a chance to fire it, and Gloom also got caught in the blast.

When the smoke cleared, Gloom lay back on the ground, unconscious. The referee immediately called the match, naming me the victor.

I jumped up and down. “Yay!” Charmander ran over and leaped into my arms, knocking me over. “Charmander, your battling was so great! Badge number four is ours now thanks to you and Pidgeotto!” Luxio and Pikachu raced over to cheer with us.

After recalling Gloom, Erika walked over. “Well done, Rosa. I’m impressed with the way you and your Pokémon work together when facing tough situations. Our battle tells me you’re a quick thinker, and you work really well alongside your Pokémon.

“As a reward for your victory, here’s the Rainbow Badge.” She held out a flower-shaped Badge with rainbow petals. “You’ve earned it for sure.”

“Thank you so much.” I showed the Badge to my Pokémon, even Pidgeotto, before securing it in the case. Then, I inspected my bird Pokémon’s paralysis. “It looks like your wing and belly got hit. We need to get you to the Pokémon Center.”

Erika stopped me before I could take a single step. “Rosa, if you don’t mind sticking around for a bit longer, I could give your Pidgeotto some paralysis medicine.”

Her offer delighted me. “It’d certainly save a trip to the Pokémon Center, but I don’t want to be a burden.”

“Nonsense. I’m more than happy to treat Pidgeotto and Charmander both. While you wait, you’re welcome to join me for my Pokémon class. It starts in just a bit. The girls and I teach other Pokémon Trainers about Grass-types by taking care of the Pokémon here in the greenhouse.”

“Sounds like fun! I’d love to join.”

Suddenly, one of Erika’s Gym Trainers raced over to us. “Erika, can you come to the lobby please? Some Trainer is trying to get into the Gym, but we’re not letting him. He’s refusing to go away anyway.”

“Why are you stopping him?”

“He’s the one who insulted perfume. The one you kicked out of the shop.”

A weight dropped on my stomach.  _ Uh oh. _ “Does he have purple hair?” I frantically asked.

Seeming surprised, the other girl nodded. “Yeah. How do you—”

I loudly groaned “Oh boy” before sprinting away.

Emerging into the lobby, I saw Livvi at the front door. Feet planted, she folded her arms and refused to move. Paul stood before her, shouting all sorts of reasons why he should be let into the Gym. He sounded more pissed off than ever.

Livvi suddenly barked, “I wouldn’t let you in if you were the last Pokémon Trainer on earth! This Gym doesn’t allow anyone who thinks perfume is a stinky waste of time! If anyone’s the stinker here,” a fellow Trainer handed her a giant red stamp, “it’s you!”

Before I could think, my feet brought me in front of Paul. I prevented him from getting a red cross stamped on his face. “Wait a minute, Livvi!”

“Rosa?!” gasped both her and Paul.

“Look, this guy offended anyone having to do with perfume. I’m not gonna deny that, or the fact that he’s the biggest jerk on the planet.”

“Hey!” Paul whined.

I told him to shut it.

“You’re damn right!” Livvi growled. “This asshole offended everyone here.”

Paul nearly lunged at her if I didn’t keep him back. “Yeah, including me, I know! I can’t apologize for that, or anything he said to you afterward. I can say that he’s only here to battle for another Gym Badge.”

“Two challengers in one day? That hasn’t happened in a while,” Erika noted, stepping up beside everyone.

I turned to her. “Erika, the only reason Paul is here is to challenge you to a Gym battle and earn his fourth Badge. He obviously doesn’t like perfume, so why else would he be here in the place where they make a whole bunch of it? There are only eight Gyms in all of Kanto, which means Paul has no choice but to battle you.

“I know it seems unpleasant, and I get why you don’t want to comply, but I told you earlier. Paul isn’t such a bad guy, not to the point where you should kick him out of the Gym permanently. Please just battle him, and then he’ll leave.”

She made a face. “I don’t know…”

I could tell my words didn’t quite convince her. “Fine. I hate to play this card, but I will. It’s a rule of the Pokémon League that all Gym Leaders have to accept any and all challenges no matter what. Isn’t that right? You and I both know Paul’s not nearly worth losing your job over.” I clapped my hands together. “Please say yes, Erika. Please battle him!”

We stared into each other’s eyes for a long time. I hoped with all my heart she’d accept.

“Please, Erika! Paul isn’t as bad a guy as when you first meet him. Even better, he’s an excellent Pokémon Trainer just like me. So please!”

Though she didn’t seem very happy about it, Erika finally nodded in agreement. “Only because you’re so incredibly persuasive, Rosa.” I smiled at her. Then Erika patted her employee’s shoulder. “Stand down, Livvi. I’ll accept Paul’s challenge.”

She stared back at the Gym Leader. “What?! But Erika—”

“Don’t worry. He’ll leave once he gets his Badge, if he gets it.” She glowered over at the boy.

Paul glared right back. “Oh, I’ll get that Badge. Don’t you worry.”

“Uh, guys,” I muttered, not wanting to step in between them.

Erika suddenly patted my head, still looking at Paul. “You should be grateful to know someone as talented with words as this girl.” Not even waiting for a response, she and Livvi headed off to the battlefield.

The tension started dying down in the room.

Then, I felt a tap on my shoulder. When I looked back, Paul had raised an eyebrow in my direction, a mix of relief, confusion, and  _ extreme  _ frustration plastered on his face. “What’s wrong?” I asked.

After a moment, he replied, “You coming to my rescue.”

“Yeah?”

He glared. “Why’d you do it?”

“Why? Well, you were about to get kicked out of here. I had to do something. Otherwise, you would’ve been kissing this Gym’s Badge goodbye. I just wanted to help you out, Paul.”

The glare on his face intensified. “I didn’t need your help. I would’ve handled it on my own just fine.”

“Hey, you got this close to getting kicked out of here for good.”

“You’re delusional.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?!”

“Yeah, I said it. You’re delusional. You think you can just go around and butt into other people’s lives. Then, you claim to be helping them when really you’re just an annoyance. I didn’t need your help before, and I don’t need it now!”

“What’s your problem? Why are you so upset?”

“You wanna know why I’m upset? I spend my time with a Pokémon Trainer who’d rather go shopping for perfume and play with Pokémon than train them.”

“That’s not true! Are you seriously trying to make a big deal out of that? You knew that from the start, and yet you’re the one who wanted to travel around with me. Remember that little detail?”

“Yeah, I do, and I’m seriously wondering why I ever did! I mean, seriously, why would I ever want to hang out with you? Why would  _ anyone _ ?”

My heart stopped.  _ What the…? _

“Come on. Hanging out with you has been hell. We get in fights every single day, where you have no problem getting a little violent.  _ Stubborn _ should be your middle name, either that or  _ selfish _ . You’re selfish as hell, only doing things for others if it means getting a reward out of it.”

“Is that really what you—”

“You’re not graceful either, or sweet, or kind. You never shut up about anything, always going on and on about  _ your _ goals and  _ your _ Pokémon. You get scared of the stupidest things: ghosts, Gyarados, Primeape! I wonder what other things scare the crap out of you? It’s probably a long list for sure!”

I stepped back. “That wasn’t an issue for you two days ago...”

“No, the issue is you! You’re just pathetic, and annoying, and I don’t want you around me anymore. I’m telling you—”

“Oh, just shut up, will you?!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. “I get it, so just shut your damn mouth!” I stomped my foot on the ground, glaring at him. His words echoed in my mind and beat away at my heart.

Paul growled, “So get out of my face already.”

Blinking back tears, I used all my strength to reply: “Fine. The feeling’s mutual.” With my chest aching, I angrily shoved past Paul and left the building.

Erika rushed to the door and called after me, “Rosa, where are you going?!”

“Back to the Pokémon Center!” I shouted back at her without turning around. “Thank you for everything, Erika, but I should get going now!”

“Just let her go!” Paul snapped. “She’s a waste of your time anyway!”

Luxio reacted before I did, unleashing an extremely potent Thunder Bolt. Paul screamed in agony and collapsed on the ground. I looked at my Pokémon. “Thank you…”

Paul then barked, “What the hell was that for?!”

Without replying, I just walked away. Paul constantly shouted abuse in my direction, all sorts of insults and angry words. I ignored it all, keeping my legs moving until the Gym disappeared from sight. Pikachu wiped away the tears streaming down my face. No matter what her or Luxio said, I couldn’t stop them.

★

Paul fumed over me ignoring his rantings. When he turned around, Erika stood before him with arms crossed. She and multiple Gym Trainers created a formation around the boy, preventing him from entering the Gym any further. “What are you doing? Let’s have our battle now,” Paul growled at the Gym Leader.

“Ha!” Erika spat at him. “It’s just like Livvi said. I’m not letting you in even if you were the last Pokémon Trainer on the planet.”

Paul did not hesitate to get in Erika’s face. “Need I remind you that you’ll lose your job if you don’t battle me?!”

“Yeah, and Rosa said you wouldn’t be worth it. I’m afraid she was wrong.”

Paul staggered. “Hey, we had a deal! You’d let me battle you, and then I’d leave.”

“Yeah, right before that happened!” She pointed out the door. “The girl who won you the chance to battle just stormed out of here in tears. Her own Pokémon attacked you because of what you did.”

“So what? Why does she matter? She’s gone now.”

Erika angrily poked Paul’s chest. “ _ She _ was the only reason that I even considered battling a lowlife like you. Rosa defended you despite everyone else here hating your guts. She believed in you like nobody else, and what did you do to repay her? You treated her like a fucking piece of trash.”

Livvi and two other Gym Trainers grabbed Paul, pinning his arms down to keep him from retaliating. “What are you doing?! Let go of me!”

“Paul, by order of the Celadon City Gym Leader, you’re permanently banned from entering my Gym ever again.” On command, Livvi and the other girls launched Paul right out the front door.

Paul’s face plunged into the dirt. He quickly rushed to his feet and spun around. “You can’t do this!”

Standing her ground, Erika faced him from the open doorway. “Actually, I can. It’s the job of a Gym Leader to hand out Badges to the Pokémon Trainers that prove themselves. In my opinion, a person like you doesn’t deserve my Badge in the least.”

“The Pokémon League says Gym Leaders can’t refuse a battle!”

“No, the rules state that we can’t refuse your  _ challenge _ . It doesn’t give any specifics on what challenge we have to give you. Paul, I won’t battle you unless you complete another challenge I have in mind.”

Though a bit hesitant, Paul willingly listened. “And what’s that?”

Erika pointed out at him and yelled, “If you want to earn your chance back at battling me for a Badge, there is only one way you can change my mind.”

“Yeah. What is it?!”

Erika looked disappointed. “Do I need to spell it out for you?” She pointed towards the rest of the city.

After realizing what she had in store, Paul angrily shook his head. “No fucking deal!”

“Fine. It was nice knowing you.” She turned away.

“Wait!” Paul’s cry earned back Erika’s attention. After a moment, he let out an aggressive sigh. “If I find Rosa and bring her back, will you battle me then?”

“Find Rosa,  _ apologize _ to her, and bring her back here.”

“Are you kidding me?!”

“And apologize like you mean it because I’ll make sure to ask her.”

Paul grit his teeth in frustration. “Come on. There’s no way she’ll be able to tell if I’m being sincere. She’s not capable of experiencing feelings like that.”

Erika scoffed. “She’s not, or  _ you’re _ not?”

Paul didn’t respond.

“You and I both know Rosa can tell something like that. For me, that’s after knowing her for less than a day, so for you, it should be common knowledge. You two have traveled together for what? A month already?”

The purple-haired boy stared up in shock. “How did you know that?”

“Rosa told me.”

“She...did?”

“She also told me you’re not the worst person in the world, with a few good qualities.”

Paul’s eyes widened. “Good qualities? Like what?”

“Not sure. She never said.” Erika turned around. “But if I had someone like Rosa supporting somebody like me, even if I didn’t deserve it at all, what kind of person would I be to throw it all away like nothing? That’s exactly your situation, isn’t it?” She finally went inside, closing the doors of the Gym.

Hearing the doors lock, Paul understood his unfortunate situation. He wanted to get his fourth Badge, so to do that, he needed to find me and bring me back.  _ If I have to, so be it. _

Paul stared back at Celadon’s many skyscrapers.  _ Well, she has to be somewhere. _

★

I stepped towards the Pokémon Center, trembling and wiping my face with the sleeves of my jacket. The sharp feeling in my chest made me want to vomit. I never thought it’d be so painful to lose a friend. Clearly, I underestimated the power of a broken heart.

Pikachu and Luxio silently walked at my sides. They waited for me to say something and hoped that moment came sooner rather than later.

Eventually, the tears slowed down enough for my vision to return. I saw my Pokémon giving me concerned looks. “Don’t look so worried about me. I’ll...be okay,” I muttered, though it became impossible to ignore my sad, heavy tone of voice.

Luxio barked at me.

I lowered my head in a quiet sob. “Yeah, I  _ feel _ like crap, too.”

We took a detour, finding a bench so I could take a breath. My head and shoulders rolled forward to hide my puffy eyes from the public. “Oh, why am I so upset? I always knew Paul was a complete jerkface. I guess this time he just,” I sniffled and rubbed my nose, “surprised me a little.”

My mind kept having flashbacks of earlier. Each one made my chest throb. I cried out and covered my face with my hands. “Nobody’s ever hated me  _ this _ much! What do I do?”

Luxio stood up and tapped my leg with his paw, telling me to be myself.

“Be myself? Obviously being myself isn’t good enough for him!”

Pikachu corrected me, saying I needed to be myself for my own wellbeing and nobody else. As proof, she told me to bring out my Badge case. I wanted to protest, but she wouldn’t hear it.

I retrieved my Badge case, looking at the latest addition to my collection. It reminded me of what I can do by myself, without another person. “I see. Being yourself means doing things without another person’s help. You don’t let other people’s opinions or actions define you. You just push past them. These badges are proof that I’ve been myself this whole time.”

Pikachu and Luxio both nodded their heads.

I took in a big breath and exhaled. “You both are right. I believed in Paul a lot. He’s my friend, or, he  _ was _ my friend, but that’s over now. He must not have trusted me the same way I trusted him. Now, Paul doesn’t want to see me ever again...and that’s okay!

“In the first place, my goal to become the Pokémon World Champion doesn’t involve Paul. It’s only about me, myself, and my Pokémon.” I brought both Pokémon into my lap. “I’d be nowhere without you guys. Thank you for supporting me.” They licked my face.

Feeling life return to my body, I popped onto my feet. “I’m done crying! Paul’s made up his mind, so it’s time I do the same. My only concern should be getting the next four Badges as quickly as possible and becoming the best Pokémon Trainer ever. Anything else just isn’t a priority, especially some stupid boy who doesn’t respect me.”

Pikachu and Luxio gave me confident looks.

I put away my Badge case. “Let’s bring Pidgeotto and Charmander back to the Pokémon Center for a quick treatment. While waiting, I’ll find the closest city with a Pokémon Gym and make a plan to get there. The minute they’re all done, we’re blowing this popsicle stand!”

My Pokémon cheered.

“There you are!” a voice bellowed from behind us.


	22. Prepare for Big Trouble

As I turned around, an Ice Beam shot at my face. I collapsed in shock, watching the blue beam of light fly over my head. “What the...hell was...that?” I panted, one hand placed over my rapidly beating heart.

“Sorry!” A little girl with brown pigtails skipped over to us. She held a blue tadpole up above her head, who fired off an Ice Beam identical to the first. “Poliwag, stop it! The game’s over!”

My heart rate slowly returned to normal. “Oh, it came from this Poliwag.”

Dex scanned the Pokémon. “ _ Poliwag the Tadpole Pokémon. The direction of the spiral on the belly differs by area. It is more adept at swimming than walking despite its serious lack of arms. _ ”

The girl made a face. “I’m so sorry! We were playing hide-and-seek, and when I found my Poliwag, he got so scared he used Ice Beam! I just taught the attack to him this morning, so he’s not good at using it yet. Say sorry, mister!” Poliwag smiled, his stubby legs and tail flailing cheerfully.

I got to my feet and brushed the dirt off my arms. “Oh, don’t worry about it. We’re all fine here. No harm done.”

The little girl gave a toothy smile before sternly glaring at Poliwag. “Don’t feel like you’re off the hook, mister! You’re still in trouble even if the pretty lady forgave you.”

“Pretty?” I quietly repeated.

Suddenly, her eyes widened. “Wow! Is that a Pikachu?! Ooh, and who’s that Pokémon?”

Pikachu timidly jumped onto my head, and Luxio leaned against my leg. I scratched behind his ears. “This is Luxio, and yes, this is a Pikachu. They’re some of my good buddies. I have more Pokémon, too.”

The girl’s eyes sparkled. “That means you’re a Pokémon Trainer, right?”

“Yep.”

“Yippee! We just met a real Pokémon Trainer! Yay!” She and Poliwag twirled around in circles. I envied the amount of energy she contained in her tiny body. “Oh, yeah. Mommy’s gonna yell at me if I don’t remember my manners. I’m Daisy. What’s your name?”

“It’s nice to meet you, Daisy. My name’s Rosa.”

“Rosa, huh? You must like flowers a whole lot, don’tcha?” She pointed up at my hairclip.

I grinned. “That’s right. I love flowers.”

“Me too! Me too! I love the way they smell. I love the way they look, but not the way they taste.  _ Bleh! _ I don’t like eating flowers. I wouldn’t try eating one if I were you.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Thanks for the advice.”

“Hey, hey. Can you guess what my favorite flower is?”

“Hmm…” I jokingly put a finger to my chin. “Let me guess. Daisies?”

“Oh, wow, you’re smart! How’d you know?”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Lucky guess.”

“I bet your favorite flower is a rose. Right?”

“How’d you know?”

“Lucky guess! Lucky guess!” Daisy jumped up and down a thousand times. Then she tugged on my jacket, motioning for me to step closer. “Listen. Want to know a secret?”

“I’d be honored.” I knelt beside her.

Daisy whispered into my ear, “ _ I’m gonna become a Pokémon Trainer. _ ”

My eyebrow raised. “Why does that need to be a secret?”

She gripped the hem of her dress. “Because mommy doesn’t want me to become a Pokémon Trainer. She wants me to be a scientist instead.”

“Have you tried telling her how you feel?”

“I tried…but she sent me to my room.” She pouted and stomped her small feet on the ground. “What does Mommy know anyway?! She just spends all her time at that new arcade!”

“An arcade, for grown-ups?”  _ A casino? _

She nodded. “Yeah. It was built a few months ago.”

I frowned. “So, she ridicules you but spends all of her time playing slots?”

“She makes me dinner and helps me with my homework, but every night after I go to bed, she sneaks out to go play. I followed her one night. That’s why I spend more time playing with Poliwag. He cares for me more than she does...” Her posture drooped.

The situation left me feeling sorry for Daisy, disappointed in her mother.

“What’s so fun about a casino that you neglect your daughter?” I hissed. “And she has the guts to tell Daisy what to be when she’s older. I know parents suck, but hers take the cake.”

Luxio shook his head in agreement.

I wanted to cheer Daisy up somehow, hoping simple words would do the trick.

Smiling, I patted the little girl’s head. “Well, I believe in you, Daisy. You can become a Pokémon Trainer no matter what your mother says. It’s what you want to do, so go for it.”

Her eyes twinkled. “You really mean it?!”

“I do. Being a Pokémon Trainer would be perfect for you!”

“I’ve already learned a whole bunch of Pokémon Trainer stuff! Like, Poliwag is a Water-type, and Water-type Pokémon are super bad against Electric-type Pokémon like Pikachu, or Grass-type Pokémon like Bulbasaur. That’s why Poliwag knows Ice Beam so that he can battle grass Pokémon.”

Poliwag vigorously nodded his head.

“You sure do know your Pokémon types. That’s really great.”

“I want to become a strong Pokémon Trainer, so I have to learn all about Pokémon.”

“And learning Pokémon types is an excellent way to start. Keep working at it.”

A voice chuckled from behind us: “Yes, keep working at it.”

Daisy and I spun on our heels. A man in a black uniform slowly stepped towards us. I recognized the logo on his shirt in an instant. “It’s Team Rocket,” I growled. From her perch atop my head, Pikachu tensed, her fur bristled.

“Who’s Team Rocket?” murmured Daisy.

“Nobody good.” I motioned for the little girl to get behind me. She held her Pokémon tightly in her arms and pressed against the back of my legs, while I stared down the approaching thug.

He noticed my cautious expression and laughed. “Don’t be so scared. A gentleman like me won’t do anything too nasty to a couple of pretty ladies.” He grinned and licked his lips, sending chills down my spine.

I put my hands over Daisy’s ears and barked, “What kind of creep are you? A pedophile? Because I’ll be damned if I’m going to stand here and be threatened by a pervert! Get lost already!”

“Nah. There’s no need for threats, sweetheart. I’ll leave you alone, but first, hand over all your Pokémon, starting with that Poliwag.”

“W-What?” Daisy squeaked, trembling against me.

I stood my ground. “That’s not going to happen, and I won’t say it again! Get lost! This isn’t the right place for a back-alley operation, you know.”

“It’s the perfect place, actually,” he laughed, gesturing to the relatively empty street.

Except for a few bystanders way down the street, the road heavily lacked in people.

“So much for the hustle and bustle of Celadon,” I grumbled.

“Now,” a Poké Ball appeared in his hand, “I’ll relieve you of that Poliwag.”

Luxio took a step forward and barked, baring his fangs. Pikachu also growled.

“If you want to take Poliwag, you’ve got to go through us!” I shouted.

“I never said I’d be the one taking it.”

My eyes widened.

In a split second, a net shot out from the side, ripping Poliwag straight out of Daisy’s hands. “Poliwag!” she screamed, watching her friend get electrocuted by the netting. It then retracted into the arms of a second Team Rocket thug.

“Of course, there’s another one,” I growled, holding Daisy back in my arms. “Spark and Quick Attack now!” Luxio and Pikachu dashed towards the man holding the unconscious tadpole Pokémon.

A Koffing crashed into my two Electric-types and sent them flying.

“Thanks for the cover!” the second grunt called to the first.

He quickly retorted, “Stop yapping and get out of here!”

“Pikachu! Follow them!”

“Quick, Smokescreen!” Koffing launched thick smoke from the holes covering its body.

The instant the chemicals hit my lungs, I coughed and sputtered, losing all strength in my legs. My concern quickly fell to Daisy; I used one arm to crush her against my body and keep her from breathing in the fumes. With the other arm, I summoned Butterfree. She used her mighty wings to clear the air around us.

When the smoke vanished, my eyes flickered to where we last saw Team Rocket. I was disappointed—but not surprised—to learn that they both had fled during the commotion. My butterfly fluttered down to us, resting on my head.

I also found Luxio sprawled on the ground. “Luxio, are you okay?!”

He slowly got to his feet and mewled.

Daisy stirred against me. I removed my arm from her back, happy to see her breathe in the fresh air.

“You’re not hurt either, right, Daisy?”

Her tiny hands gripped my shirt. With tears in her eyes, she whimpered, “Poliwag…”

My blood boiled at the sight of her face.

“Uh...Rosa,” she sniffled, “where’s Pikachu?”

Just now noticing the lack of my yellow mouse, I turned to the alley and sighed. “I told her to chase after the man who stole Poliwag. She’ll be okay by herself.” I made a weak grin.

Unlike her cheerful personality moments earlier, she was unable to smile back. Massive tears welled at the corners of Daisy’s eyes. “They took...him. They...took Poliwag.” Her whimpers and sniffles beat my heart to a pulp. “Rosa? What do I...do?”

Feeling an overwhelming urge to fight, I grabbed her hands. “Listen close, Daisy. You’re going to head straight to the Pokémon Center. Find Nurse Joy, tell her what happened, and get her to alert Officer Jenny. Team Rocket is in the city, and the police need to know. Can you do that for me?”

After a moment, she nodded. “I think so. The Pokémon Center is right by my house. I can get there, but...Poliwag?”

“Don’t worry.” I rose to my feet, also helping her up. “I’m going to get Poliwag back.”

“H-How? They disappeared.”

My eyes fell to Luxio. “Not completely.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look. I can find them, and once I do, I’ll get Poliwag back. I promise to bring him back to you. Here, this is proof.” I removed my daisy clip and fastened it to her hair. “Keep that so I can find you, after I get Poliwag, of course. Can you trust me to do it?”

She nodded over and over. “But, I want to help, too!”

“You will be helping by telling Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny what happened here.”

“But I want to help, like  _ really _ help!”

“It’s too dangerous for you to come along, Daisy. I don’t think—”

“Wait!” she chirped, cutting me off. “How about this? Poliwag’s attacks: Bubble, Pound, Protect, and Ice Beam. I give you permission to use my Pokémon.”

Daisy’s eagerness to help impressed me, no doubt stemming from the strong bond she shared with her Pokémon. It made me smile. “Okay. I think I can remember those. Thanks, Daisy. Now, go! To the Pokémon Center.”

Before running off, she threw her arms around my waist. “Please be safe!”

I hugged her back. “I will. We all will. Now, go!”

Daisy raced down the street.

Once she was gone, I turned back to the alleyway where the thieves ran. Luxio barked at me. “You can always tell what I’m thinking. Go ahead. Pick up her trail.”

Luxio concentrated for a moment, sticking his tail in the air. His ears and tail both twitched. He sniffed the air countless times as he gave off blue sparks. After a moment, he barked loudly. “I’m so glad I taught you that. Lead the way!” He took me into the alley.

★

Paul disappointedly trudged through Celadon City, searching the streets for me. “Where the hell could Girlie have gone? I know this city is big, but come on. I thought she said she was going to the Pokémon Center.”

When Paul heard buzzing, he paused and looked up. Beedrill flew down to him. “Did you spot Rosa anywhere?”

Beedrill sadly shook his head.

“Well, it was worth a try. Return.” He recalled the bee Pokémon. “I want to get that badge too. Why does she have to be so difficult?”

Grotle stood at his side, helping Paul in his search. He heard the comment and grunted.

“What? Are you saying it’s my fault? She’s the one with the bad attitude! I shouldn’t even have to apologize to her!”

His Pokémon shot him a glare.

“In the first place, I’m only doing this so I can get my next Badge.” Paul stuffed his hands into his pockets. “After that, Rosa can do whatever the hell she wants. I don’t care! I’m not going to control her life or anything.

“I told her to buzz off, and she listened. I didn’t think she would. Damn, I don’t know what to make of her sometimes. What’s up with her getting all pissed off like that? Okay, I guess that was my fault. No, actually, was she even mad? Dammit! Now I’m getting extra frustrated! I can’t take this! I’m clueless! Not that I can ever tell what that girl is thinking…”

Hearing that, Grotle compared our relationship to that of total strangers.

“Total strangers? Tch, in your dreams! We’ve been together every day for the past few weeks. At the very least, I can tell when something’s scaring her.” The image of my face flashed across his mind; it was the moment when he first shouted at me back at the Gym. “Actually, when I think about it, she looked pretty scared when I yelled at her… didn’t she?” He frowned.

Grotle suggested taking some deep breaths.

Though he initially didn’t want to do it, Paul listened. He stopped walking and focused only on breathing for a moment. It gave him a chance to return to his senses, collecting all of his jumbled thoughts.

Paul went back to our argument, considering all the words exchanged. “I called her delusional, selfish, and annoying. She doesn’t stay out of other people’s business, but that’s just because she tries to help. Rosa only helps those who need it, and I admit. At the Gym, I would’ve been kicked out immediately if not for her help. At the very least, I have to thank her for that.

“Yes, spending time with a Trainer who’d rather have fun and shop than train still bugs me, but Rosa isn’t one of those people. She focuses a lot more on her Pokémon, and her goal, than I give her credit.

“And, to top it all off, the words I said to her…”

_ “Why would I want to hang out with you? Why would anyone?” _

Paul smacked his hands over his eyes. “Why the hell did I say that?! It’s not true. It hasn’t been complete hell with Rosa. We do have daily arguments, and she’s a little prone to violence, but not that much. Besides...”

He paused to consider all the time we’ve spent together thus far. “She’s had her moments. Getting through Mt. Moon and fighting Team Rocket with me. Helping to catch Pokémon. Spending the last few days of summer together. Winning those Gym Battles.” Grotle barked at him. “Yes, I’m aware that she’s the reason for half of the Badges in my possession.”

Feeling a sense of guilt in the pit of his stomach, Paul took out his Badge case. “I wanted to find Rosa just to get my fourth Badge. Now, I don’t even deserve to hold these, not with the way I screamed at her. Just like Erika said, I treated her like garbage. The reality is that Rosa… With Rosa…”

Paul gulped, beginning to feel the gravity of his mistake.

“With Rosa, I’ve felt… Not like strangers, that’s for sure. Traveling with her and learning about her… Not that I’m sure how to put it into words, but I felt a connection… We were friends… I’m sure she felt the same way. So, how does she feel now?”

When he remembered Luxio frying him with Thunder Bolt, Paul slammed his fists into the ground. “Dammit! If Luxio attacked me like that, then just how badly did I hurt her? I can’t believe I let myself get that angry. Rosa…”

My smiling face flashed across his mind.

Then, the image shattered.

“I directed all my frustration right onto you without hesitating. I can’t imagine you’d want to see me, or what your face will look like when I do see you.”

Grotle patted Paul’s shoulder, reminding him not to give up.

Nodding his head, Paul shot up onto his feet. “You’re right. I’ve got to fix this. At the very least, Rosa deserves an apology. She may want to stay away from me before I can manage a word, but I still have to try.”

Paul looked out towards the open streets before him. “I…I told her to get out of my sight forever, and yet, it pisses me off that she might actually listen.” Unable to accept the reality, Paul took off down the street with Grotle at his side. “We’ve got to find her fast! Let’s head back to the Pokémon Center and see if she’s turned up. I just hope she’ll be herself when we find her...”

Grotle snickered.

“Don’t get so full of yourself! It’s not like that!”

★

Luxio and I snaked our way through Celadon’s alleys. We clambered over dumpsters, fences, and trash cans, narrowly stepped on the tails of several Rattata, and even ran into a few shady merchants. “Remind me to take a bath when we finish this up,” I said to Luxio.

Suddenly, my Pokémon skid to a halt. I nearly crashed into him. “Luxio, what’s the sudden stop for?”

Ignoring me, Luxio listened to absolute silence before taking a sharp left.

“Did they suddenly change direction?! Hey, wait for me!”

Luxio brought us into a clearing behind a hotel of some sort. We heard a commotion nearby and jumped behind a dumpster. I peeked my head up and over to get a look, instantly recognizing the ears on my yellow mouse.

“Pikachu?!”

A trio of Team Rocket thugs had cornered my Pikachu—plus a silver Pokémon, who looked heavily injured. Pikachu threatened the Team Rocket members by snarling and sparking her cheeks.

“We got them! Just a little bit more!” called one of the thugs, holding a net.

“An Eevee with a different color. We’re going to be rich!” cried another.

“A what?” I repeated.

“And if we evolve that Pikachu into Raichu, we’ll make even more money.” The third grunt held up a green stone to my Pikachu. Her aggressive attitude melted away, leaving nothing but a small Pokémon trembling at the thought of forced evolution.

“WATER GUN!!!”

The Team Rocket baddies turned around at the sound of my voice. Their lousy faces collided with a violent torrent of water. The creators of the attack, Wartortle and Horsea, possessed enough power to blast the thugs straight into a wall.

During the attack, the evolution stone fell from the man’s hand. I jumped out and caught the stone before it got anywhere near Pikachu.

“Nobody fucking evolves my Pokémon!” I spat.

Pikachu cheered, ecstatic to see her Trainer coming to the rescue.

However, the exciting reunion was short-lived.

We all turned our attention to the injured Eevee. By now, it lay on the cold ground, barely moving. I recalled my Water-types and rushed over to examine it. “Those creeps are going to pay. I need to treat those wounds before they get worse.”

When I reached out, the silver fox snapped at me, nearly taking off my fingers. Eevee’s hostility seemed reasonable, but I couldn’t let its injuries go untreated.

“It’s alright. I’m not one of those jerks. I won’t hurt you. I promise.”

With a pat on the head from Pikachu, Eevee allowed me to pick it up. I found a potion in my bag and spritzed some on its body. From there, it didn’t take long before the Pokémon found enough willpower to try standing again. Pikachu helped it out.

I addressed my trusty Pokédex. “Dex, can you analyze Eevee, please?”

Dex instantly replied, “ _ Eevee the Evolution Pokémon. Eevee is a unique Pokémon rarely seen in the wild. It can adapt to many different environments by evolving, changing its capabilities and forms. _ ”

Looking between the image of Eevee on the Pokédex and the real Eevee standing before me, I found it difficult to ignore the different colors. “On top of being rare, you’re a different color from the one in the Pokédex, just like Butterfree.”

Eevee barked at me, taking my comment on its color the wrong way.

I innocently waved my hands. “No, no. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing. It just means you’re a lucky Pokémon, which is a good thing. Great, actually!”

Embarrassed for misunderstanding, Eevee averted its gaze.

“Don’t worry. No harm done.”

“Tell that to my face!” shouted a voice, making me jump.

The three Team Rocket members had returned to their feet and were now surrounding us. “Listen, little girl,” growled the first. “I don’t know what you’re trying to prove being a hero, but you need to hand over that Eevee and then scram.”

Immune to his threats, I scoffed. “Says the loser who just got his ass handed to him.”

“You sure got a big mouth, don’t you, brat?!” roared the second.

The third yanked out a small baton and flicked it once to make it expand. Electric sparks came off the end. “You’ll pay for that, sweetheart!”

Noting their soaked clothes, I made an evil grin. “Correction: you’ll pay. Shock ‘em dead, guys!”

Pikachu and Luxio launched a potent Thunder Bolt combination.

Eevee also joined the fight. It jumped forward and launched a mass of dark-blue balls of light. The three attacks merged for a power-packed final move, launching the Team Rocket members into the clouds.

I gawked at the incredible power I just witnessed. “Uh, Dex, you know that move, right?”

It replied, “ _ Hidden Power, a peculiar move that changes type and power depending on the Pokémon using it. _ ”

“Are you saying it may not have been a Normal-type attack even though that’s Eevee’s type?”

We all stared at Eevee, underestimating its current exhaustion level.

“Eevee, are you going to be okay?” I gently asked.

Eevee never responded. It instead sat down and licked the wounds on its paws.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Luxio nudged my leg.

“Hmm? What is it, Luxio?” He reminded me of why we ended up in the alley in the first place. “Oh, yeah, I completely forgot!” I looked over at my Pikachu. “What happened to the guy you chased?”

Pikachu’s ears drooped. She explained what all happened since we got separated.

“Let me translate.

“You were chasing the thief at first. However, another Team Rocket guy appeared and tried to catch you, so you had no choice but to run away. That’s when you ran into Eevee, who also happened to be running away from Team Rocket.”

A small grunt from Eevee supported Pikachu’s story.

“So, you both worked together to get away from your pursuers. And when Eevee got hurt in the process, you did everything you could to protect him. Then, you got outnumbered by those grunts. Things would’ve turned out much worse if we didn’t show up when we did. Am I missing anything?”

Pikachu shook her head and apologized for not staying on the trail of Poliwag’s thief.

I smiled and cuddled her. “Don’t feel bad. I’m happy you didn’t get caught. We’ll just have to track them down the old fashioned way, but if you’re safe, that’s all that matters.” Luxio agreed. Pikachu looked ready to cry.

Sighing, I rose to my feet. “Well, now we have to find Team Rocket again. Any ideas?”

Luxio pointed out the sheer number of Team Rocket grunts, suggesting that they need a base of operations to handle that many people. “Based on Daisy’s reaction when she saw Team Rocket, they haven’t attempted anything big enough to gain public awareness. That means they’re hiding somewhere their presence is going undetected, like hiding in plain sight.

“The other important fact is the Pokémon. Though I hate to even think about it, they need somewhere to store the Pokémon they’ve stolen. I mean, they’re not stealing Poké Balls alongside the Pokémon, so how do they hold them? Probably cages, and cages mean a big space somewhere in the city. A warehouse most likely.”

Suddenly, Eevee barked at us. He claimed to know the location of Team Rocket’s base.

“How do you know?”

Eevee admitted being captured by Team Rocket a few days ago.

“Really?!”

Ignoring my shocked face, Eevee continued the story. He managed to break out of his cage earlier this morning. Then, he found a spot in the wall weak enough to dig through and tunnel to the surface. He emerged beside a colorful building. Unfortunately, the Team Rocket sentries spotted him and chased him away before he had time to admire the building’s details.

“It’s underground?! Were other Pokémon with you down in the cages?”

Eevee nodded.

“I see. Team Rocket has all the storage space they need if their base is built underground. Then, they just need a simple building to camouflage themselves. They go in and out as they please, and nobody suspects a thing if they stick to the shadows.”

The Pokémon all shut down the idea of searching every colorful building in the city.

“Well, we have a few extra facts to narrow the search. Team Rocket wants to hide in plain sight, and since the police haven’t caught wind of their presence, they haven’t been here too long. It’s a relatively new place.”

Pikachu asked what kind of building matches all those descriptions.

“We’re looking for a store or a restaurant. Maybe a hotel or apartment complex. It’s something that attracts a lot of attention, and consequently, it’s also a building that deters any suspicion. A colorful building that’s been recent—Wait a minute!”

Daisy’s words played in my head:  _ “She just spends all her time at that new arcade… It was built a few months ago.” _

I staggered. “The arcade!”

They all asked if I felt sure about my decision.

“Absolutely! It matches everything! Team Rocket lock up Pokémon underground for all sorts of terrible reasons, and the stupid adults playing slots up top never suspect a thing. Since it’s an adult arcade, kids don’t come near it either, who tend to be smarter than adults.”

Luxio asked about Pokémon Trainers specifically.

“True. A Pokémon Trainer would get suspicious, so Team Rocket would need to make sure they don’t come anywhere near…”

The gate on Route 7 appeared from my long-term memory.

And just like that, all the facts pieced together like a puzzle. 

“Team Rocket put up the gate on Route 7! All this time, this whole operation! It’s all Team Rocket! We’ve been involved with them from the get-go! They’re hiding underground, guys, and that’s where they’ll put Poliwag. We have to get over there fast!”

Eevee asked if I could get us all to the arcade.

“Yeah! There’s advertising all over the place listing the address. I remember it.”

Hearing that, the Evolution Pokémon insisted on joining our rescue mission.

“Well, sure, but didn’t you just escape from there? Why do you want to go back?”

Eevee decided against answering my question. Then he told us to get moving.

I frowned. “Well, I respect your decision to not talk about it.” The four of us took off. I glanced down at the silver Pokémon. “But seriously, you know what you’re getting back into, right?”

He nodded, ready to battle his way into the very same place he escaped. I admired his determination.

★

Despite being the base for an evil gang, the arcade looked magnificent from the outside, warm lights and advertisements illuminating every square inch of the property. People shuffled in and out the front doors, while others admired the casino from outside, resisting the urge to gamble their lives away.

“Well, it’s definitely popping,” I noted, using a nearby alleyway to conduct a stakeout. A higher concentration of guards appeared towards the back of the building, and sentries littered the perimeter. “There’s no getting past those guards. We’ll have to enter through the front.”

Eevee barked loudly before I could even take one step forward.

“What’s the matter?”

He argued against stepping into the casino as ourselves.

“It’s not like anyone is looking for us.”

Shaking his head, Eevee insisted on donning a disguise.

“Well, I guess it couldn’t hurt.”

Luxio barked. Someone approached quickly from the left, so we ducked behind some trash cans. Three Team Rocket grunts rushed past us, heading for the casino. “We better alert the boss,” one of them called, gasping for breath from his jog.

Another replied, “Yeah! She could mean big trouble if she gets into the hideout!”

When they ran past, I popped my head up, eyes wide. “They’re from earlier!”

The Team Rocket trio entered the casino’s front entrance without any of the guards so much as blinking in their direction. That gave me an idea, probably a terrible one. “I can’t imagine Team Rocket has a gift shop anywhere, do they?” I eyed a man leaving the casino, dressed in the standard Team Rocket uniform, and chased after him.

“Hey, tough guy! Wait up!” I called after following the man into a side street.

When he turned around, his face turned red. “Who...who? Me?”

I playfully bat my eyelashes. “I really hate to bother you, sir, but I need your help.”

“Of course. How can I help?”

Eevee came down from above, tackling the guy and sending him into a wall.

“You see, I need to break into your secret base.” Once knocked out, I removed the man’s shirt, hat, and gloves. “Can’t very well do that without the proper clothes, now can I?”

While the Pokémon tied him up, I put together my disguise.

The uniform shirt made me look like a child. I tucked the bottom under my belt and folded it several times, my black dress helping to hide the shirt’s actual size. The gloves covered the shirt’s baggy sleeves, and I replaced my shoes with a pair of grey boots.

To my disappointment, I had to take down all of my hair and leave it unstyled to accommodate the hat. "I hate hats," I groaned, and then tied a grey scarf around my neck. "But, I can live with scarves."

Once finished, I showed off the new outfit. "Well, does it look convincing enough?"

According to the Pokémon, I now embodied villainy.

I frowned. “Thanks, I think. Oh! Speaking of playing the part...” I held out two Poké Balls.

Luxio and Pikachu jumped back, giving me the crazy look.

“I know you don’t like going inside, but how many members of Team Rocket have you seen with a Pikachu on their shoulders? And Luxio isn’t even from Kanto. There’s no point to the disguise if you two are out and about.”

They angrily demanded to know what I’d do about Eevee.

A shrug was my only response. “What  _ can _ I do? I’ll have him ride on my shoulder and make up a story if anyone asks.” Pikachu and Luxio angrily shouted at me. “There’s no other way! He’s a wild Pokémon, and I’d  _ never _ force him to be caught.

“Just please, guys. It’s just for a little bit. Please!”

Luxio and Pikachu gazed at each other. Then they gave defeated nods.

I kissed them both on the head before recalling them to their Poké Balls. “We’ll call you out the second we need help.”

Eevee cried up to me, asking about my bag.

“Oh yeah. I guess Team Rocket isn’t usually walking around with huge, colorful bags like this one.” I removed the backpack and stared at it. “What should we do? I could have someone deliver it to Nurse Joy.”

Eevee suggested if I had any close friends in the city.

In my mind, Paul appeared as the first viable option, but I decided against it. “I don’t have too many friends, and I can’t imagine any of them are in Celadon—Oh! Why not give it to Nurse Joy? She’s trustworthy enough, and I obviously know where she’ll be.”

Eevee clearly didn’t trust people, but he did trust me to make a good decision.

I scribbled a small note to Nurse Joy. “I’m about to do something really stupid,” is how I ended the letter, which I then tied to Zubat’s wing. Stuffing my Pokédex into a pocket and attaching all my Poké Balls to my belt, I strapped my bag to her back. “Come right back here after delivering that. We’ll wait for you.”

Zubat nodded before soaring off towards the Pokémon Center.

Watching her fly away, Eevee was impatient and protested on waiting for my bat’s return.

“We’re waiting, and that’s final,” I flatly said. “I’d use my Pidgeotto since she’s faster, but it seems like Team Rocket favors Poison-types. Thus, Zubat looks far less suspicious. It’s a small exchange.

“But don’t worry. We’re heading out the second she gets back.”

Eevee begrudgingly nodded his head and sat on the cold ground.

Once Zubat finally returned, I recalled her and took a deep breath. “Alright. Operation Rescue Poliwag is a go!”


	23. Shall We Play a Game?

Paul and Grotle hurried back to the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy greeted them at the front counter like always, noting Paul’s lack of breath. “For god’s sake, Paul. How fast were you running?” she yelped.

Paul forced himself to stand up straight. “Has Rosa shown up yet?”

“Sorry, no. You said brown hair, green eyes, and a white flower in her hair. Nobody matching the description has entered the center.”

“Dammit! Well, if she shows up, could you ask her to wait here?” He hurried to the door.

“What should I tell her?!”

“A friend needs to talk to her—” A little girl came charging into the center. She crashed right into Paul and fell. He helped her stand back up. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you—Nurse Joy! There’s an emergency! Get Officer Jenny!”

The nurse rushed over to the little girl. “Slow down, Daisy,” she cooed, rubbing the girl’s back. “Take a breath, and tell me what happened.”

Tears in her eyes, Daisy cried out, “Team Rocket’s in Celadon City!”

“What?!” gasped Nurse Joy.

“Team Rocket?” Paul repeated, listening carefully to the conversation.

“Yeah. They took my Poliwag!” Daisy added.

Nurse Joy asked, “Did you see where they were headed?”

She shook her head. “No. They disappeared.”

Grotle suddenly tapped Paul’s side, showing him a hair clip that fell off the girl’s head.

“That flower!” Paul gasped.

Daisy looked back at the pair. “Ah, my daisy!” She swiped at them, but Paul held the hair accessory out of her reach.

“Where’d you get it?” he demanded.

“None of your business! Give it back!” She jumped over and over to get back the clip.

“It is my business! It belongs to a friend I’m trying to find.”

Nurse Joy managed to calm the little girl down. “Daisy, listen. This is Paul. He’s trying to find his friend. He says she was wearing a white flower in her hair.”

Daisy gasped. “Is your friend a Pokémon Trainer named Rosa?”

He quickly nodded. “She has long, brown hair and green eyes.”

“And looks like a model?”

Paul grumbled and looked away. “Nevermind. It’s not her.”

Grotle slapped him straight across the face with a vine.

“The Rosa I met had a Pikachu, and another Pokémon that I’ve never seen before!”

“That’s her!” Paul returned the flower in exchange for information. “Daisy, can you tell me where Rosa is now?”

“Well, Team Rocket stole my Poliwag and ran away. Rosa chased after them, promising to get him back for me.”

“What?!” Paul and Nurse Joy gasped.

“Did you see where they went?” Paul asked.

Daisy sniffled and shook her head. “No. Rosa sent me here first thing. I’m so scared for her and Poliwag. Those Team Rocket people are so mean!”

Nurse Joy took her hand. “Why don't we go find Officer Jenny and ask for her help?”

Once they walked away, Paul slammed his fist into the counter.

“Damnit!”

Grotle remained silent.

“What the hell is wrong with Rosa? First, she’s impossible to find, and now she’s chasing after Team Rocket?! There’s no way to track her down now, not without knowing where those thugs are hiding…”

Suddenly, Grotle tapped Paul’s side. He gestured to the front doors and the blue bat flying inside with a backpack strapped to its body. “Is that...Zubat?”

Spotting them, Zubat screeched happily and flew down to the duo. Then she spun around to show them the bag. Grotle took it with his vines and gave it to Paul, before detaching the note tied to Zubat’s wing.

After reading the note, the color left Paul’s face completely. He raced off to find Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. Thinking about the dangerous situation, Paul gritted his teeth and ran faster.  _ Why did you have to get involved with Team Rocket of all people?! _

His face turned sad for a moment.

_ And why am I such an idiot?! _

★

We walked up the entryway to the arcade, steering clear of the vehicles going up and down the driveways. I sidestepped a hustling valet, who gave me a little-too-friendly nod, and looked from the elaborate, scented gardens to a plaque near the front entrance. I read the slogan etched onto the plaque’s glossy surface:

_ Celadon Game Corner - A fun place for everyone! _

“What could be so fun about gambling away every penny?” I grumbled.

Eevee and I paid a glance at the directory. “Two floors. The casino takes up the main floor. A shopping concourse on the upper level and a multitude of restaurants too.” I noted the lack of any basement details. “And there’s absolutely nothing about any underground levels. Not even a basement.”

Eevee suddenly growled.

I quickly pat his head. “That doesn’t mean we’re not checking for ourselves what’s below this building. Right?”

After a moment, he nodded.

When we approached the front entrance, two liveried attendants locked their eyes on me and then swept a pair of double doors open. It made me feel a little awkward. I shot them the smallest of smirks before finally shuffling into the building.

Instantly, a vicious cloud of cigarette smoke attacked my nose.

And moments later, my remaining senses got overwhelmed.

The sights.

The sounds.

Having only seen them in pictures, it was an unfamiliar sight inside the casino. It made me want to crawl into a dark hole somewhere.

Instead, I deflected an attendant’s offer of assistance and explored the lobby.

There were rows upon rows of gaming tables. Laughing groups wagered stacks of coins on even the slightest chance of a win. Elsewhere, gamblers surrounded slot machines, gold and glossy black with spinning reels on their faces, or card tables. I recognized a few of the games currently being played: Blackjack, Baccarat, Oasis Poker, Laramie Hold ‘Em, Red Dog, and Pontoon.

The riot of color and wealth was so overwhelming that the most extraordinary outfit barely registered. The arcade’s dress code seemed nonexistent, ranging from unlaced sneakers and Hawaiian shirts to elegant tuxedos and billowing gowns. Not one person paid my oversized uniform any attention.

Bartenders juggled cocktail shakers. Dealers offered congratulations or sympathy.

The bustle and hustle of Celadon...was right in this building.

“Yeah, totally fun,” I grumbled, choking on the cigarette smoke.

Eevee nodded his head, also coughing and sputtering from the neverending smoke cloud.

“Hey, lady, first time here?” called a voice. A man in sparkling evening wear stood at a service counter towards the back, waving me over to him. “You look like you could use a little guidance. No offense.”

Unable to deny it, I squared my shoulders and marched over to him, pushing through the throng of guests. “None taken,” I flatly replied.

Only an idiot would fail to notice his eyes scanning my body. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”

_ Yeah, like I’m giving my real name. _ “The name’s Kristina. Call me Kris.”

“It’s a pleasure, Kris. My name’s Greg. You seem like a first-time gambler.”

“Is it that obvious?” I cleared my throat before smiling at the attendant. “I’m just here looking to pass the time. I’m new in town and received word that this was the best place to make some easy money.”

“Ah, so  _ you’re _ the one the boss personally requested, right? It’s an honor to meet you finally. Recruits favored by the big man himself always get a discount from me.”

“The boss? Recruit?” I glanced at Eevee, who reminded me of my disguise.  _ Oh, right... _

“Here. A present from one Team Rocket member to another.” Greg handed me a miniature briefcase.

I took the case, never taking my eyes off it. “Oh, uh, thank you. What’s this for exactly?”

“Open it.”

Reluctantly, I did. Black felt lined the interior and its two dividers, which formed three columns. Tiny, gold coins filled two of the columns. “Coins?”

“That’s your very own coin case, and you use those coins to play the machines. They’re on the house for, uh, first-time guests.” He winked as he gave that last statement, making me cringe. “If you run out and need more dough, come to me for all your troubles. Sound like a deal?”

My mouth formed into a shaky grin. “Sounds great.”

The minute I stepped away from the counter, I nearly vomited. “On top of being stupid, adults are creepy. I don’t ever want to be one.” Eevee ordered me to focus. “Right. We entered the Game Corner, and the way my uniform is treated, there’s no doubt Team Rocket is hiding here.”

Eevee and I looked around for an open slot machine to stake out the lobby. Most of them already had people seated and gambling their lives away. One bore a label reading “out of order,” one was labeled “reserved,” and one held someone’s forgotten keys.

I managed to find an open machine towards the back of the room. “Voltorb Flip?” I read upon closer inspection, favoring the game’s seemingly simple rules and appearance as well as pictures of the very temperamental Electric-type Pokémon.

Eevee preferred this machine over others for its position.

“Well, we’re still in sight of the cameras, but yes, at least Greg can’t see us.”

We went and sat down at the machine. The game opened up and showed me a grid space of 5 by 5 tiles. All the tiles were face-down. “ _ Flip the cards and collect the coins. _ Is this like some kind of Minesweeper game?”

“There! Come on! Almost got it… Aaah, so close!” yelled a voice.

Eevee and I peeked over the top of our machine.

Sitting in the row on the other side, two Team Rocket members sat and played an arcade game involving a flying Pokémon. One of them had just lost their game, and their money. “This one’s too difficult!” cried the disgruntled voice.

“C’mon, why don’t we head to the hideout now?” said his buddy.

“Hideout?” I repeated, paying half attention to the conversation and the other half to the video game in front of me. Eevee’s silver ears stood up straight to listen for himself.

“Oh, come on,” cried the man about to play—and lose—his game. “We’ve already handed over that Poliwag. What’s the harm in taking a little break? We can’t enter through the back entrance anyways.”

“You idiot! Greg can get us inside the other way. Remember?”

“Oh...yeah. The secret entrance, behind Greg’s counter. I forgot.”

“You’re a disappointment.”

“Hey! I got more points than you, at least!”

“Look. As long as you’re part of Team Rocket, Greg will let you into the back room. We just have to check the poster with the Team Rocket vehicle. It’s the best way to represent us!”

“What do you mean? What kind of vehicle is the best way to represent Team Rocket?”

“You know, those things that blast off into space?”

“ _ Rockets _ ?”

“Yeah, those—Ow!”

“Now, you’re an idiot!” The partner stood up. “Well, we should report for our next assignment anyways. Come on.”

The two grunts rushed past without noticing me.

Eevee and I locked eyes. “They must be idiots,” I said. My partner in crime smirked as I retrieved a Poké Ball. “And thanks to them, I have a plan. Let’s go pay Greg another visit, shall we?”

We headed back to the service counter where we first encountered Greg. Just as the two men had discussed, there was a door behind him, and though it was left slightly open, he never stepped too far away from it. And the Team Rocket grunts had already disappeared, making our next objective clear: get through that door.

Eevee asked how to get past Greg.

“I don’t think new recruits know about this so-called secret entrance,” I whispered, spying from a camera blind spot. “So we’re not getting in without some force. That means we need a distraction and some cover.”

I threw the Poké Ball in my hand, summoning my fire lizard.

“On my mark.”

“3…”

“2…”

“1…”

Suddenly, a dark smoke cloud burst into the lobby, enshrouding everything. Though accustomed to cigarette smoke, the people were not equipped to handle this kind of foulness in the air. Lots of coughing and sputtering filled my ears.

Holding both Pokémon in my arms, I slipped behind the service counter, past Greg, and through the door. We were careful not to make a noise, and not close the door all the way, or we’d instantly raise suspicion.

“That smoke won’t last forever,” I grumbled, growing discouraged at the sight of multiple posters on the walls in this room. “Find the rocket poster.”

Abruptly, Charmander called. Standing on her tip-toes, she pointed up at a poster of a rocket taking off, hidden by a shelf and several boxes.

“Bingo!” I rushed over and tore the poster off the wall.

What did we find: a hidden switch!

“Here it is!” I excitedly cheered before slamming my hand on the button.

The ground suddenly quaked. We heard gears grinding from underneath our feet.

A hole opened up in the floor, revealing stairs. We couldn’t see the bottom level.

After recalling Charmander, I paused to take a breath, gazing between the dark stairwell and the silver Pokémon at my side. “Are you ready to go? No doubt, this will be the stupidest thing we do.”

He eagerly nodded his head.

I also gave a nod. “You’re right. There’s no turning back.” We faced the dark hole together. “I’m coming, Poliwag.”

Eevee and I rushed headfirst into the darkness. Just barely a single step inside, and a slab of concrete and metal slid over our heads, sealing the opening. We heard it lock, and we exchanged meaningful looks, for there really was no turning back.

We were now trapped in Team Rocket’s hideout.

★

Eevee and I emerged into a long hallway dimly illuminated with ceiling lights. The tile floors, walls, and ceiling amplified the hideout’s creepiness. The temperature made it feel like we just stepped into an icebox. “How do they stay warm in these outfits?” I muttered, my teeth chattering.

Eevee argued that it wasn’t too cold.

“Easy for you to say. You have tons of fur—”

Suddenly, he shushed me.

Chatter came from down the hall, and it approached us—fast!

We turned to the closest door, slipped inside, and left it cracked open as several Team Rocket members rushed past us. They spoke of several Pokémon getting locked up thanks to their efforts.

I slammed my fist against the wall. “Locking up Pokémon. Disgusting.”

Eevee directed my attention to the room we ended up inside. Nothing special. A few tables, chairs, and a potted plant in the corner. My eyes drifted to the single computer sitting on top of a desk.

“Maybe we can find a floor plan or some clue to the Pokémon’s whereabouts.”

While Eevee pawed through a file cabinet and the desk’s many drawers, I went to search the computer. It was password-protected, of course. “Everyone in Team Rocket seems extremely full of themselves, so…”

I typed the name of their organization, with an uppercase  _ R _ .

And the computer was unlocked!

Frankly, the result surprised me.

Eevee pointed out a white lab coat hanging on the back of the desk chair. I found a nametag and tore it off. “Well, Mr. Winter, you need to be fired for failing to create a better password.” I tossed the tag into a trash bin and threw the coat over my shoulders, providing myself with some much-needed warmth.

My fingers moved at lightning speed, typing strings upon strings of letters and numbers as my eyes skimmed over filenames and file types and file sizes. Even several curious thumbnails earned a few glances.

With his physical file search in vain, Eevee hopped over to watch me work, impressed with my computer skills. “You should be impressed with my brother, Volt,” I laughed. “He’s the best when it comes to computers and fancy technology. Taught me everything I know.”

He asked if my brother was important to me.

“Very. My siblings have always been important to me.”

Eevee asked about my parents.

“Oh, they’re not in the picture anymore.”

His ears drooped.

“Hey, don’t feel bad. They’re not dead.”

He cocked his head in confusion, noting the lack of a frown on my face.

Not wanting to get into the details, I sighed. “Listen. All you need to know, Eevee, is that there are two components to my family: my siblings, and my Pokémon. As long as I have them, everything is fine, and I can get through anything. Make sense?”

He nodded, claiming that his family allows him to get through anything, too.

“See? You get it—Oh! Here’s something!” My wish came true: a floor plan—a detailed one—of the hideout. “There are four floors to this underground labyrinth. We’re on the first, and all Pokémon are stored on the level below us.”

Eevee frantically asked about the shortest path to downstairs.

“There’s a stairwell just around the corner. At the end of the north corridor.”

Eevee bounced off the desk and headed for the door.

“Wait for me!” I took one last glance at the floor plan, burning it into my memory as much as possible.

We poked our heads out the door. Once Eevee confirmed the path to be clear, we sprinted down the hallway, taking a left at the first juncture and proceeding all the way down. I could tell from Eevee’s determination that something—or someone—important was locked up in one of the cages downstairs. The idea made me want to beat every Team Rocket member senseless.

We found the staircase and descended to the next level.

Once there, Eevee barked about the whereabouts of the Pokémon.

“This way!” I rushed down the hallway to our right.

Unfortunately, we retraced our steps when a squadron of Team Rocket members jogged towards us. We instead took the left path and cut through a small equipment room as a detour. I noticed the surplus of electric batons, tasers, nets, bazookas, and various other weapons, and though suddenly feeling sick to my stomach, I forced myself to keep going.

After ducking behind some crates for cover, Eevee and I reached the Pokémon storage facility. We checked to make sure nobody could spot us, whether via their own eyes or security camera, before attempting to open the door.

The handle didn’t budge.

“It’s locked!” I groaned. A little too hopeful for my good, I rifled through the lab coat’s pockets, hoping to find some sort of keycard or perhaps an actual key. “And Mr. Winter apparently has no access to this room.”

Eevee barked, telling me to step aside as he jumped and slammed his glowing tail into the handle.

I was left purely amazed. “Wow. Nice Iron Tail.” I went and opened the door.

Remember when I said I wanted to beat every Team Rocket member senseless.

The second I opened that door, all that rage boiled up like lava.

We stumbled upon hundreds of cages stacked from floor to ceiling in neat rows spanning the entire room—the size of a warehouse. There was enough space between each row to allow two people to walk side-by-side comfortably. And each cage held a Pokémon inside. All were sad, injured, sick, terrified, or a combination. There was little to no food or water and no sufficient lighting.

With my jaw dropped in horror, I slowly walked amongst the rows of cages. My heart shattered at the sight of the Pokémon and their sad faces. Eevee whined several times, his ears drooping. “What kind of monsters are these guys?”

Amongst the Pokémon, I recognized an Abra, a Clefairy, a Nidorino and Nidorina who did not enjoy being separated, a pair of Magnemite, and even a Wigglytuff and a Clefable squished into cages not suitable for their size. And there was a Butterfree barely able to open its wings.

We passed a malnourished Nidoran curled up in the corner of her cage. Her ears perked up a little when she spotted us, but then she saw my uniform and went back to looking completely hopeless.

I quickly glanced at Eevee. “Remind me to burn these clothes when I’m done with them.”

Suddenly, a tiny voice cried out to us, coming from just a few cages down.

Eevee and I dashed over and knelt before a cage on the floor. A small blue tadpole sat inside. “Poliwag!” He happily bounced around at the sight of us, flailing his tail. “I’m getting you out of here. Don’t worry—”

Unfortunately, the instant I put a hand to the cage, I got zapped.

I fell back in pain. “Ouch! That’s a strong current.”

Poliwag worried over me.

“Yeah, I’m alright. Probably should’ve expected that.” I returned to my feet, eyes flickering between the other Pokémon nearby. “I guess that’s how they keep you all from trying to break out. Electric currents mean electronic locks, and electronic locks mean that a keycard or something is required to open the cages.”

Having previously run off to search the whole room, Eevee came back with a frown.

My earlier suspicions confirmed, I raised a concerned brow. “You’re looking for someone, aren’t you?”

His drooping, silver ears answered my question.

“Now, I get why you were so eager to return to a place so…” I gazed about, wanting to puke from the treatment of all these Pokémon, “...horrible.”

Eevee made a low whine that shattered my soul.

“Hey!” I knelt before him. “Don’t you dare give up hope! The ones you’re looking for are here somewhere, whoever they are, and we’re not leaving until we find them.”

Eevee wiped a paw at his teary eyes, his determined spirit quickly returning.

“Excellent. Now first, we need to free Poliwag, and then we’ll find the others. Only two things will work on these locks: a keycard, or a powerful Iron Tail. Think you can help?” I pointed at the cage.

When Eevee barked and made his tail glow, I motioned for Poliwag to get back. He obeyed and shrunk into the farthest corner of the cage. Eevee lunged forward and slammed his tail into the cage lock, smashing it to bits, all without getting electrocuted.

“Perfect!” I yanked the cage door open.

Now free, Poliwag bounced out and into my arms.

“Haha! You’re welcome!”

Though happy to have freed Poliwag, Eevee still seemed heartbroken.

“Don’t worry, Eevee. Your friends are next.”

Poliwag asked about the other Pokémon.

“Oh, I’m not forgetting about these guys. But we need to find another way to unlock all the cages. Eevee can’t break them all open on his own.” I looked around at all the Pokémon that could see me. “So don’t fret, guys. I’m freeing you all today.”

Eevee suddenly alerted us to incoming danger, in the form of another human.

“Excuse me?!” the person shouted.

Hearing his voice, I froze in place, chills going up and down my spine.

“What are you doing here?” the man calmly asked. “I thought all Team Rocket members were called for a meeting.”

Gulping, I spun around, discreetly shutting the broken cage door, and grinned. “Th-There was an announcement, yes, but I had to cage up an assignment first.” When he eyed the two Pokémon perched on my shoulders, I grabbed them both. “Not these, obviously. These are mine.”

After a moment, his eyes focused on Eevee. “Don’t see an Eevee like that every day.”

Thanks to the dim lighting, the man’s features remained hidden. I couldn’t discern the color of his eyes or hair, but he wore the standard-issue Team Rocket uniform like the rest of us. Shadowed face or not, his tone was laced with skepticism.

I shrugged. “Yeah, a rare find. I caught it for a client a while back, but he wasn’t paying enough, so I kept it for myself.”

He seemed to buy the story and gestured in the direction we entered. “Well, better hurry down there then.”

“Right, but before that, do you happen to know if any of the Pokémon here were recently relocated?”

“There were some Pokémon taken down to the lab a little while ago for testing.”

“Testing?” Once again, I felt sick to my stomach.

He seemed clueless. “I’m not sure of the details, but I don’t dare argue with the boss's orders. They’re probably still down there. Here.” He gave me a key card.

I eyed the item, attempting to hide my surprised expression. “What’s this for?”

“You seem like a newbie, so you probably don’t have a card yet. You’ll need it to access the lift, the only way to reach the third and fourth floor, and the lab.”

“And it’s cool to just...give this to me?”

He nodded. “I can always get another. Just looking out for a fellow recruit.”

Though a bit suspicious of his actions, I nodded. “Wow. Thanks a lot. My higher-ups are slacking...apparently.”

“Better get going. Don’t want to be too late. The boss doesn’t approve of tardiness.”

I nodded awkwardly. “Noted.” We turned and rushed for the door.  _ Probably doesn’t approve of intruders either. _

Once outside, Poliwag, Eevee, and I exchanged confused looks. “Is it just me, or did he seem like he was  _ trying _ to help?” They both nodded in agreement. “Well, forget about him. We have to get to that laboratory. If your friends were taken there, Eevee, we have to find out.”

He nodded.

Poliwag asked if I knew the way.

“I think so. Come on.” We raced down the corridor, taking the immediate left.

We found the lift without any detours and used the keycard to operate it.

In no time at all, the lift exited out into a third maze. We followed it until we reached a dead-end. A heavily reinforced door placed itself there, sending another wave of chills throughout my body. “Here we go, guys,” I said, taking a deep breath.

Eevee and Poliwag stood on my shoulders, prepared to face anything as I scanned the keycard for entry.

Access granted, the door opened wide. We stepped through it.

The lab unsettled us from the beginning. It could be described as clean, efficient, and organized, but also ruthless, cruel. Quiet and cold as a morgue. No movement of any kind. The occasional  _ drip-drop _ and  _ bzzzt _ from the plasma screens of gigantic proportions with text too far away to make sense of.

The aroma was mostly bleach, though its pungency still paled in comparison to the cigarette smoke four floors above our heads.

The hum of machinery was like a whisper in the background. Bizarre machines hooked up to power cables and tubes and chambers of liquids. Stainless steel centrifuges and PCR machines. A huge walk-in refrigerator and several water baths. A double door autoclave and two enclosed areas with flow hoods. A walk-in shower for chemical decontamination and several canisters of gases.

All the equipment was state-of-the-art.

“A biological science laboratory?”

This was a lab straight out of science fiction. No doubt, we’d run into some bad people if we weren’t careful enough, so I considered skirting around the edges.

“What are they doing down here?”

I hoped not to see anything too horrifying.

Then, we turned a corner and stumbled upon a nightmare that proved me wrong.


	24. Friends and Foes Alike

I stopped—stopped moving, stopped breathing. My heart sped up to an Olympic sprinter’s rate.

I sucked in a sharp breath of the dust-less air, suddenly seeming so thick. Slapping a hand over my mouth, I collapsed on the floor. My eyes were wide with fear and disgust, and I nearly screamed out my next words.

“What. Is. That?!”

Poliwag and Eevee cowered behind me.

There was a chamber of fluid before us with a Pokémon suspended inside.

Or  _ part _ of a Pokémon anyway.

A large head with two horns, a left hand and foot with digits that had circular tips, a long tail thick at the base but thinned out towards the end. The fluid in the chamber made it impossible to discern the creature’s coat color, although the tail seemed to be a darker shade than the rest of the body—a body vertically torn in half.

And seeing the creature torn in half was what horrified me, like watching invisible hands put together a billion-piece puzzle—on a cellular level.

The Pokémon floated corpse-like inside the chamber, its arm and leg held in place by chains. Its long tail moved back and forth like a metronome, making me question if it was conscious or not.

Overcoming the initial shock, I slowly returned to my feet and stepped closer to the creature. The desire to learn more overcame all my other objectives for the moment. I went over to the nearest computer to search for any information.

And after a bit of file searching, I found some.

“It’s called Project Rebirth,” I whispered. “They’re using DNA of a Pokémon named Mew...and cloning it...to create the most powerful Pokémon in the world.” Swallowing hard, my gaze returned to the floating creature. “And this is the result so far.”

Eevee and Poliwag asked if the Pokémon had a name.

I slowly nodded. “Mew...two.”

We remained silent for a long time.

I stepped back over to the chamber. Mewtwo’s face sat inches from mine. “The strongest Pokémon? A clone of Mew? How is this even possible?” I muttered, now more in awe than horrified, and stupidly decided to reach out.

The instant my hand touched the glass, Mewtwo twitched.

My response: jumping ten feet into the air.

Poliwag slapped a tail over my mouth to keep me from shrieking. I shot him an apologetic look. “My bad…”

When we looked back at Mewtwo, it seemed completely unconscious and unaware of our presence. “I can’t believe they created a Pokémon. A breakthrough in science, just to be used for evil. How did they even manage it in the first place? And how did they get DNA from a Mew?”

Eevee and Poliwag asked about the Pokémon I mentioned.

“It’s a very rare and powerful Pokémon. The ancestor of them all, Mew is said to have the DNA of every single Pokémon contained within its body. The stories also claim that nobody has ever seen it. So getting a DNA sample is simply impossible...or so I thought.”

I skimmed over just a bit more information on Project Rebirth.

“But this Pokémon...it has no idea what’s coming. The second it’s completed, it’s going to be forced into slavery. That’s just inhumane.”

Eevee suggested finding a way to help Mewtwo.

“Believe me. I want to help just as badly, but it isn’t even finished yet. What can we—”

Suddenly, the door to the lab opened up.

“Uh oh, someone’s coming!” The three of us quickly ducked behind some machinery.

Four scientists marched into the room.

The head scientist approached Mewtwo’s chamber and gazed upon it for a moment. He then turned back to his colleagues and spoke of transferring Mewtwo to an offshore laboratory on orders from the boss. His underlings quickly got to work.

“Oh no,” I said, cursing myself for not finding a way to help Mewtwo sooner.

Eevee and Poliwag both frowned.

“I guess there’s nothing to do now. Let’s keep going.” We carefully snuck around the scientists and ventured further into the lab. I hoped that one day we would encounter Mewtwo, finished or not. If we did, I would make sure to help it out no matter what.

★

On the far end of the room, three scientists stood around a table equipped with hi-tech gadgets and machinery. All donned professional lab coats, and all were engrossed in the group project before them. Laughing maniacally, the scientists held out different evolutionary stones.

“A Fire, Water, and Thunder Stone?” I curiously muttered, sneaking around some machinery to better observe the scientists and their current experiment. “What are those bastards up to?”

“Let’s try this again,” chuffed one man, unaware of our presence behind them.

“Test No. 33,” voiced a woman.

The second man gestured with an electric baton. “And this time, try not to waste too much of our time, okay?”

My ears picked up a submissive cry of pain. “What’s that sound?”

At a better viewing angle, we spotted a Pokémon on the scientists’ table. Small, furry, big brown ears, and a fluffy tail, this one struggled to remain standing with the scorch marks and lashes covering its body. One of its back legs had been chained to the table.

Upon recognition of the helpless Pokémon, my blood froze. “It’s an—!”

Eevee roared and leaped from our hiding spot. He gave the scientists no time to react and attacked with Swift. The assault continued with Hidden Power, sending two of them into some metal shelving.

“Yikes,” I winced.

Wanting to avenge his comrades, the third scientist reached for a Poké Ball on his belt.

“Bubble Beam, Poliwag!” Obeying my command, Poliwag fired off a stream of bubbles to knock the man unconscious.

After tying up and gagging the scientists, our attention went to the second Eevee. It acknowledged our presence for a moment before collapsing from the pain. “Oh no!” I gasped, rushing over and unlocking the chain from around its foot.

Eevee softly mewled and nudged the other’s head, begging it to wake up.

A moment went by, and finally, it did. The second Evolution Pokémon lifted its head, cracked a smile, and made a low purr, prompting a tearful reunion that pleasantly squeezed my heart.

“Now, I get it,” I choked, watching the silver Eevee nuzzle the female one.

Poliwag hopped onto my shoulder and brushed away my tears.

I smiled at him. “Thanks.”

The female Eevee heard my voice and gazed up at me, eyes widening.

I raised my hands. “It’s alright! I won’t hurt you!” Poliwag quickly flicked my hat off and onto the floor. “Yeah! See? I’m not one of those bastards. I’m a good guy. My name’s Rosa, and I came here with Eevee. Honest!”

Eevee also supported my claim.

The female gazed at me for a second before barking.

“Huh?”

She nodded her head to the left.

My gaze flickered to where she pointed. “Is there something over there?”

Instead of replying, Eevee struggled to her feet. We all quickly objected, but she brushed aside our concerns. Despite the pain, she found the strength to stand, climb down from the table, and limp away, prompting us to follow.

We discovered more Pokémon cages, all of which were separated, and only three were occupied. The first held a red fox with six tails. The second contained a blue serpent with a white snout and belly. Three tiny Eevee sat inside the third cage. All five Pokémon looked relatively unharmed, though the snake didn’t perk up much at our appearance.

The instant he spotted the little ones, Eevee charged at the cage and desperately tackled it, over and over and over again, to no avail. His only result was an electric shock that made his fur poof up.

The three Eevee and the red fox begged us to set them free, prompting the silver one to recklessly charge once more.

“Hang tight, Eevee!” I called, making him stop. “That electric current is far more powerful than the cages on the upper floor. Only electric-type Pokémon can withstand it.” I promptly sent out Luxio and Pikachu. “Guys, you’re the only ones who can handle this high voltage. Help us break these cages open with Iron Tail!”

Able to withstand the electrocution, the duo smashed the first cage’s lock to bits.

Once free, the little Eevee excitedly bounced over to the other two—their parents.

“It’s a whole family!” I gasped in delight, watching the silver Eevee pull the other four into a group hug. “No wonder you were so desperate to come back here. I’m glad we were able to help you out, Ee—uh, I suppose calling you ‘Eevee’ won’t be very specific anymore. How about ‘Silver’?”

He looked back at me and wagged his tail as an answer.

“Sweet.”

Next, Pikachu and Luxio freed the red fox, who had a hard time walking out of the cage on its own. I reached out to catch it just as it stumbled. “Take it easy there, uh…” It blinked its brown eyes up at me. “I don’t know your name.”

Dex somehow registered my words as a command to analyze the Pokémon. “ _ Vulpix the Fox Pokémon. At the time of birth, it has just one tail. The tail splits from its tip as the Pokémon grows older. It is quite warm and cuddly. _ ”

I smiled. “Take it easy, Vulpix.”

It barked and held out a front paw, revealing an injury on the side.

“Jeez. What did they do to you? Well, I don’t have any medicine, but I can do this.” I removed the grey scarf from around my neck and used it to bind Vulpix’s leg, preventing the wound from touching anything. “That’ll have to work until we get out of here. I’ll take you to a Pokémon Center then. Sound good?”

Vulpix put her injured paw on the ground, feeling comfortable enough to walk on it.

Lastly, Pikachu and Luxio destroyed the lock on the serpent’s cage, who had electrical burns around its neck.

Dex scanned that Pokémon as well. “ _ Dratini the Dragon Pokémon. Long considered a mythical Pokémon until recently when a small colony was found living underwater. Dratini sheds its skin as it grows, often doing so while hidden behind large waterfalls. _ ”

“Not surprised Team Rocket wanted someone like you. You’re a rare find.”

Dratini gazed around the room, noting the open cage, but remained in place.

“What’s wrong? Don’t you want to come out?”

It quickly shook its head.

I frowned. “You’re afraid of what they’ll do if you leave, aren’t you?” The notion didn’t surprise me after seeing the marks on its neck. “Don’t worry. They’re not going to hurt you anymore, and I have to get you to the Pokémon Center. So please, come out—” I reached into the cage, a very stupid mistake.

Dratini reacted violently and attacked, releasing a blue stream of electricity.

My arm muscles painfully seized, forcing me to recoil. Luxio, Pikachu, and Poliwag wanted to come to my aid, but I held out my hand. “Don’t! It’s...alright. It’s just a Thunder Wave attack. Dratini’s been through a lot.”

They all reluctantly stayed back.

I reached into the cage once more, and Dratini attacked again. Despite the pain, I kept my voice down to avoid startling it even more. “It’s...alright….Dratini. You’re...going to be...just fine. Because...I’m here.”

My hand reached the Pokémon’s nose, and the attack finally stopped.

“There.” Smiling, I quickly picked Dratini up and brought it out of the cage. “See? Isn’t that better?”

Dratini’s face remained blank. Then, its eyes closed, and its body went limp.

“Ah?! Dratini?!” I held it up to my ear and checked for a pulse; thankfully, I found it. “It must’ve used the rest of its strength. We have to get it out of here. We all have to get out of here.”

Silver asked how we’d escape with our troop’s increased number of members.

“We return to the lift, and retrace our steps all the way outside. Run fast. Make sure nobody gets left behind.” I cradled Dratini’s head against my chest and gently coiled its long body around my arms. “I’ll just have to hold Dratini.”

Poliwag inquired about the Pokémon upstairs, making me curse myself for forgetting to factor them into our escape plan. However, I soon found that it wouldn’t be necessary, as someone else took care of the task for me.

“ _ Attention! Attention! _ ” called a voice over the intercom.

We all froze.

_ “An intruder has been spotted in the base! I repeat! An intruder has been spotted in the base! _ ”

“Oh no!” I shrieked, my mind beginning to race.

The voice continued: “ _ The intruder has freed all the Pokémon on Level 2— _ ”

My eyebrows furrowed. “Wait? What?”

“ _ —and has stolen data from the lab on Project Rebirth. Accompanied by Pokémon of their own, please resort to any and all means to bring the perpetrator down. _ ”

We all stood there at a loss for words. “Is there a second intruder?” I asked, looking at all the creatures surrounding me. “And stole data on Project Rebirth? From the lab? Did you guys see anyone else come in?”

Luxio barked and reminded me of the pressing danger.

“Oh, right! Let’s go!” We bolted for the exit.

After getting past an empty chamber, which previously held Mewtwo, we arrived at the door into the lab. However, it opened before we reached it. Several Team Rocket members poured inside and surrounded us.

“What do you think you’re doing, intruder?” called one.

“Give up and surrender those Pokémon!” ordered another.

“Yeah, like I’d take orders from bastards like you!” I laughed.

“Little brat! You’ll pay for that!” growled another.

They released their Pokémon all at once: multiple Zubat, Raticate, and Koffing.

“We’re not backing down! Thunder Bolt now!” Luxio and Pikachu released a powerful electric attack. It collided with our enemies’ combination of attacks and resulted in a large explosion. We used the smoke as cover to get past the thugs and escape the laboratory.

“Everyone, stick to me and stay together!” I cried out, leading the Pokémon down the hall with Dratini still in my arms.

Unlike our initial arrival, the third floor now teemed with life. Squads of Team Rocket members patrolled the halls. I ducked us all behind boxes and into empty rooms as soldiers went past.

“Search everywhere!” ordered one of the officers.

A cadet called back, “W-We’re trying to find him, but we’ve got to deal with the girl too—”

“No excuses, soldier!”

I observed from a cracked doorway.  _ Him? _

After a tough game of hide and seek, my band of Pokémon and I reached a short but unoccupied hallway. It gave me time to think and develop a plan, considering the shortest path to the elevator had been blocked. I kicked myself for not completely memorizing the hideout map. “There has to be another way up besides the lift. Hell, how did they all get inside?!”

Luxio suddenly called everyone before racing away.

Following him, we found a second lift on the opposite end of the floor. However, my key card couldn’t activate it. “Huh? It doesn’t work?!” I panicked, repeatedly trying to get the door open.

Silver found a stairwell nearby. With no other options, we descended to the fourth floor.

★

The stairs brought us to a large storage room. Boxes scattered all over the place alongside desks and chairs and gadgets of all kinds. “I have to get out of here, quickly,” muttered an anxious voice coming from the next room.

I peeked around the corner.

A man hurriedly stuffed schematics and other papers into his backpack. “Just get out of here, take the lift up, and run.”

Before he could get too far, I confronted him.

“Hold it right there!”

“Ah! You’re one of the intruders, aren’t you? Grimer, go!” He summoned a Pokémon made entirely of sludge. It emitted a terrible odor.

If not for Dratini in my arms, I would’ve pinched my nose. “That may stink, but not enough to stop us! Luxio use Swift!” Luxio waved his tail to launch the attack. The Eevee family joined the attack, even the little ones.

Once Grimer got knocked out, I approached the scientist with an evil grin. “We can do this one of two ways: hand over your keycard so my friends and I can escape, or don’t comply and get fried.”

Luxio stepped forward and growled, surrounding his body in blue lightning.

“You’ll get arrested either way,” I continued. “So what’s it gonna be?”

“Take it,” squeaked the man. “Jacket pocket.” He nodded towards his left-chest pocket.

I reached in and found the key card. “Thanks for your cooperation. Now...”

“What else do you want from me? Just go.”

We did, but not before tying him and his Grimer together.

_ At least they have each other _ .

I took the man’s backpack, too. After dumping everything onto the floor, I stuffed Dratini inside. “Have to keep Dratini hidden,” I muttered to Pikachu. After a quick headcount, we hurried back upstairs.

With the new keycard, we accessed the lift.

Of course, that created another problem.

This elevator only traveled between two floors: B3 and B2.

When it stopped at B2 and let us off, I stared down the empty hall. A pair of doors faced us from the other end, giving off all sorts of creepy vibes. However, I understood that we couldn’t turn back. “There’s no other way to go,” I said to the Pokémon, quickly sprinting across the hall.

They all nodded and braced for whatever stood beyond.

“Get ready for a fight, you guys.” After scanning the keycard, we heard a mechanism rumble from inside the doors. There was an electronic  _ click _ , and then with a  _ whoosh _ , the doors slid open.

★

Right after the doors opened, two Team Rocket members confronted me. “You… You’re that twerp from Mt. Moon!” cried a woman with orange hair. “Just how long are you going to follow us around? I know I’m beautiful, but still!”

I also recognized her from the mountain, and her humiliating defeat. “Don’t flatter yourself, Cassidy,” I scoffed, fighting the urge to spit in her direction. “You’re nothing but an eyesore.”

A vein bulged on her forehead. “You’ll pay for that, twerp!” She grabbed a Poké Ball.

“ **Hold it!** ” bellowed a deep voice.

Unlike every other Team Rocket member met so far, this voice dripped with charisma, commanding respect from every person in the room. For the first time since entering the building, I felt intimidated.

“But, sir!” cried Butch. “We’re getting payback for what happened back at Mt. Moon!”

“The girl has gotten this far.” A large man stepped out of the shadows, an older man with short, black hair. A well of jet black ink, his eyes held a gaze more fearsome than a tiger. “And if she’s managed to beat you two clowns, well, I must show my respect.”

A cat stalked up to the man’s side and growled. Its piercing red eyes locked me in place.

Luxio snarled back, his fur standing up straight.

Throwing my leg in front of him, I faced the man with straightened shoulders. “I take it you’re the big bad around here?”

“Indeed, I am. And I must say—I’m impressed you made it this far.” His amused smirk quickly faded. “So, I’d appreciate it if you explained to me why you’ve so rudely interrupted my operation.”

“What? You mean the thieving of Pokémon, and the ruining of countless lives in Kanto?”

He chuckled. “My dear girl, you clearly misunderstand. Team Rocket steals Pokémon from all over the world.”

My brow wrinkled. “You’re an international organization?”

“Well, no, not yet,” he admitted, retaining his smirk. “But we plan to become one very soon. You see, Pokémon are important tools for keeping Team Rocket going. They’re the lifeblood of this enterprise. And I, Giovanni, am the leader of such an enterprise.”

I would not yield to his challenging stance.

“You’re a crook, Giovanni! Taking advantage of Pokémon is wrong!"

“A child like you can never understand what I hope to achieve.”

“No, I can’t! That’s why I’m here now, standing before you, saving my friends!” I gestured to all the Pokémon standing behind me.

"Oh, so that’s why you came barging into our hideout? For a handful of weak Pokémon?"

"You would never understand the strength of Pokémon. There’s more than just their power. Pokémon are our friends. I appreciate each and every one of them, and value their individual strengths. We work together as a team!"

The villainous business man let out another chuckle. "How amusing. However, as amused as I am, I must also remind you of the consequences of going up against Team Rocket," he suddenly tossed a Poké Ball, "and who you're dealing with.”

A grey rhino materialized in front of us, roaring and pawing its foot against the ground.

"A Rhyhorn," I hissed, feeling the slightest bit impressed with the formidable Pokemon.

"For your insolence, my dear, you'll experience a world of pain!"

“We’ll see about that!" I launched a Poké Ball. Wartortle came out, shaking his ears and tail before facing Rhyhorn. “Let’s do this, Wartortle!”

"I see. Think you're going to win with a type advantage? You’re quite clever.”

"I'm flattered. Water Gun, go!" Wartortle quickly fired.

"Stone Edge." Rhyhorn howled. Two blue rings formed around it, turning into chunks of rock. A stomp on the ground launched the stones, deflecting our Water Gun. "Now use Thunder Bolt!"

Wartortle panicked at the call of an electric-type move.

"Don't worry, Wartortle! Remember what I showed you, and use Iron Tail!" Wartortle obeyed and jumped, sending his metal tail straight into the floor. The Thunder Bolt landed a direct hit on Wartortle, but he remained completely unaffected. “Perfect!”

“I see you don’t just rely on types,” Giovanni grumbled, no longer seeing this battle as an easy win.

“I rely only on the strength of my Pokémon, nothing else! Though I do know a thing or two about deflecting electric-type attacks. Now use Rapid Spin!” Wartortle tucked into his shell and launched himself at Rhyhorn.

“Take down!” Rhyhorn pawed the floor and charged.

The two Pokémon clashed, and Rhyhorn overpowered my turtle.

When Wartortle got thrown into the air, I took it as an opportunity. “Bubble Beam!” While still in the air, he locked onto Rhyhorn’s position and launched a barrage of bubbles down at the floor. From its position, Rhyhorn was unable to dodge and took a super-effective hit.

“Rock Blast!” Rhyhorn launched a wave of silver, rock-shaped orbs.

“Bat them away and then finish it with Aqua Tail!” With his tail surrounded by a spiral of water, Wartortle slapped away the rocks before bringing the torrent of water down on Rhyhorn’s head. It fell unconscious in an instant.

“Damn Pokémon,” Giovanni cursed before recalling Rhyhorn. “This can’t be!”

“It can, and we’re gonna win thanks to the way I treat my Pokémon!” I barked, fully confident in myself and my team. Wartortle beat his fists against his chest.

“I see you raise your Pokémon with utmost care. Unfortunate, as you also show plenty of strength. You could always put that strength to good use here, you know, if you join Team Rocket.”

My eyes widened. “Seriously?”

“I am a businessman after all. I make offers where I see fit.”

My fists clenched. “I don’t care what you’re offering! The only reason I’m here today is to save these Pokémon and defeat you, so quit talking and let’s battle!”

“Hmph. If you insist.” He sent out another Pokémon. This one was tall and bipedal, and had a body covered in scales, spikes running down its back, large ears, and a horn on its forehead. Its roar shook the ground. “Just know that my Nidoqueen doesn’t lose easily.”

“Neither do we. Wartortle use Water Gun!”

“Hyper Beam.”

_ BOOM! _

An explosion rattled the building.

My vision was now heavily impaired thanks to a smoke cloud enshrouding the room. The attack had knocked me to the ground, just barely avoiding the hit from a massive amount of energy. Coughing, sputtering, and clumsily shielding the Pokémon behind me, I tossed a Poké Ball.

Taking to the air once again, Butterfree flapped her massive wings and once again proved her skill at clearing away the cloud of pollutants.

When the smoke cleared, Nidoqueen, Giovanni, and the other two agents disappeared from the room. Only myself and my merry band of Pokémon remained. “Coward,” I snarled, slamming my fist against the floor. “That attack was just meant to be a smokescreen. He never intended on battling.”

I glanced back at all the Pokémon, noticing that the doors behind us had been obliterated. “Is everyone okay, at least?”

All five Eevee replied in kind, plus Vulpix and Luxio, and Dratini was still in my bag.

Poliwag and Pikachu both received minor scrapes from falling debris.

Having taken the full force of the Hyper Beam, Wartortle had collapsed on the floor.

“Ah! Return!” I recalled my turtle and secured his Poké Ball to my belt. “Take a rest. I promise to get you to a Pokémon Center as soon as possible. Just as soon as we all get out of here.”

Pikachu tapped my shoulder. She pointed out a new hole blown into the left wall, leading into the rest of the hideout.

“Did Nidoqueen do that? Or perhaps it was his Persian?”

Luxio ran over to inspect the hole and called back when safe.

“Okay, let’s go!” We all climbed through the hole and went down the open hallway.

With my limited knowledge of the current floor’s layout, I guided us through the labyrinth once again. “I think the stairs were just this way. The Pokémon have already been freed, so all we have to do is get out without running into anymore—”

Just as we hit an intersecting hallway, a Razor Leaf launched at us from the side. The Pokémon and I barely managed to dodge, and my clothes received a few slashes.  _ Dammit, I liked this dress, too. _

“Haha! Found you!” cheered a voice.

A Team Rocket member approached us with a skinny, brown Pokémon at his side. It had a yellow, bell-shaped head and leaves for arms.

“What’s that? Looks like a grass-type,” I said.

Dex picked up my voice. “ _ Bellsprout the Flower Pokémon. A carnivorous Pokémon that prefers hot and humid places. It is quick at— _ ”

“Oh, finish your homework at home, kid, and let me hand you over to the boss! Go Bellsprout!” He ordered his Bellsprout to fire another Razor Leaf.

“Vulpix, can you help us out?” I picked up Vulpix. She opened her mouth and launched a stream of roaring flames. It burnt the leaves to a crisp and then scored a direct hit on Bellsprout and its trainer, knocking them both unconscious. “Nice, Flamethrower!” The fox barked and wagged her six tails.

We found the stairs and hurried up to the next floor.

“ _ Attention, Team Rocket agents! _ ” shouted a voice over the intercom. “ _ The intruder is on Sublevel 1 heading for the eastern exit! I repeat! Intruder is on Sublevel 1 heading for the eastern exit! All units hurry and apprehend the bastard! _ ”

“Eastern exit?” I repeated.

Luxio wished that we had a Nosepass on our team.

“Ooh, I got it.” I pulled back my sleeve to view my Pokétch. “I forgot. The compass!” My fingers quickly tapped the buttons until it turned to the desired application. After pressing the correct commands, the digital needle processed, teetering back and forth. Then, it spun around nearly 180 degrees. “This way!” I bolted down the corridor.

Since the alarm was raised, the halls had been emptied with everyone trying to catch the other intruder. We had no issue navigating the floor, turning corner after corner in line with where the compass pointed. Without even a single Team Rocket encounter, we reached the exit—the main entrance to the hideout.

“Why was the casino the back entrance?” I wondered.

★

We came outside to fresh—nighttime—air. I inhaled, and exhaled. Then, I realized that we had appeared in a loading dock. Multiple semi-trailers parked in a neat row, and together with the overhanging beams and gates, they easily hid the hideout doors.

“Give it up, intruder!” someone shouted, making my spine shiver.

Then, I realized that I panicked for nothing.

Underneath a collection of spotlights, the entire Team Rocket army had surrounded a single agent with a black cloak and hooded face. He flatly spoke a few words, though I couldn’t hear. Oddly enough, he didn’t seem intimidated despite being clearly outnumbered.

Not wanting to also be targeted, we watched the scene unfold from behind a mountain of crates. “Oh no. He’s outnumbered,” I whispered to the Pokémon. “Should we help him out? He did free the Pokémon after all.”

Eevee argued against it.

“No, we should help him. He caused a distraction that helped us get out of there. And again, he freed the other Pokémon. No doubt we should at least consider—”

Vulpix barked, pointing out the fact that the cloaked figure wouldn’t need our help.

Out of nowhere, a Pikachu burst forward from underneath the man’s cloak. That’s when I saw a flash of red, just like during the incident with the Spearow; it made me experience an alarming case of deja vu. The Pikachu rose up into the air, sparked its red cheeks, and unleashed hell in the form of a massive lightning bolt.

“Then again, maybe not,” I noted, watching the entire Team Rocket army get decimated.

In the chaos, I led all the Pokémon to the nearest gate. We slipped through, finally stepping off Game Corner property, and then came to an abrupt halt. I turned this way and that to get my bearings. “Now to find—”

Someone crashed into me, knocking us both down.

“What the hell?” I winced, rubbing my side.

A hand reached out to me. “Quick! Get up!”

“What?! You're—” I took the hand, and the man yanked me onto my feet.

“Listen,” he said, a hood covering his face. His Pikachu sat on his shoulder. “I’m sorry that I got you mixed up in all that. I had no idea there was someone else breaking into their hideout.”

“I didn’t either. But why?”

“Well, at first, it was to free the Pokémon. But then I found this.” He handed me a floppy disc. “The second that you get away from here, I want you to destroy it. You can read it if you want, but make sure to destroy it. Don’t even leave behind the ashes. It contains valuable information that’s crucial to Team Rocket.”

My eyebrow raised. “Information on what?”

“Something terrible.”

The dread in his voice answered my question. “That Pokémon In the lab?”

He nodded. “You saw Operation Rebirth, and what they planned. We can’t let them have this back. Keep this information to yourself. Don’t tell ANYONE about it, and at the first opportunity, give it hell.”

“Am I supposed to destroy it with a Pokémon attack?”

“Whatever works.”

“But wait! Do you not want it back?”

“I saw all of it already.” He grabbed my hands and pushed the disc back towards me. “It just needs to stay out of their hands, and the best way to do that is to destroy it. Please.”

I weakly nodded. “Okay, but I first have to get away from here and—”

“Hey! You there?!” another voice shouted, pulling my attention away.

Turning, I found several Team Rocket members closing in on us.

“Ah! What? W...We weren’t doing anything!” I quickly replied, motioning behind my back for the Pokémon to start running. “We were just out on a special assignment given from the boss himself. Don’t want to waste any time, or he’ll get really angry with—”

One of them jumped in front of me. “You think we’re stupid! You’re one of the people who broke into our hideout!”

“One?” I looked to my side, finding that the cloaked man and his Pikachu had disappeared. I rolled my eyes. “Figures. Pikachu!” Immediately responding, Pikachu blasted the agent with Thunder Shock, opening up a path for us.

During our attempt to get away, one of his comrades shot out an electric net. It engulfed Pikachu, Poliwag, and Vulpix all in one shot, zapping the life out of them; even Pikachu got hurt from the high voltage. “No!” I growled at the culprit responsible for their capture. “Silver, hit him with your Swift!”

Silver attempted to fire his attack, but he got caught in a second net launched from the sides. Three of the other Eevee got caught as well, and they were electrocuted to the point of unconsciousness.

Only myself, Luxio, and one of the baby Eevee remained.

“Hold still!” roared one of the villains, aiming his gun.

“Get out of here, you two!” I lunged forward and wrestled with the guy, hoping to pry the weapon from his hands.

Luxio tried to run away, but Eevee remained still. Trembling, she got distracted by the whimpers and cries of her suffering family, becoming a sitting duck for the other Pokémon catchers.

“Eevee, you have to run—Agh!” The man shoved his elbow into my side. However, I refused to let go, and with my hands still on his gun, I hoisted him up, over my shoulder, and straight into the ground. Then, I raced for the Pokémon.

“You’re not getting to them!”

A net surrounded me, bringing me down on all fours. I felt a powerful tingling where the net made contact with my skin, and crushing, stabbing pain coursed through my veins. There was a loud buzzing in my head. I saw stars. But, I still found the strength to speak.

“Get...out of here!”

Eevee got startled by all the noise, and the sudden appearance of another catcher firing his net.

Luxio barked, jumped in front of Eevee, and created a green barrier to deflect the oncoming net. There was no time to celebrate, though, as another net caught the two from behind. Luxio held Eevee tight as they both got shocked; he hoped to absorb most of the electricity.

“NO…!” I used every bit of strength to crawl towards them, but the Team Rocket agents blocked my path. With all the Pokémon captured, I was left alone, surrounded by five ruthless villains as I was slowly and painfully electrocuted.

“You’re next, missy,” laughed one of them.

“Nowhere to go,” said another.

“Hand over your bag while you’re at it,” ordered a third, catching my attention. “Saw it wiggle.”

Baring my teeth, I pulled the bag into my arms and retrieved a Poké Ball. “Don’t come any closer...!”

Despite my warning, they charged, where one of them raised an electric baton into the air. “We’re going to get all sorts of praise from the boss when we turn you and all those Pokémon in—”

A mighty Flamethrower soared over my head, forcing the attackers to back off.

I thought it might’ve been Vulpix, but she still remained unconscious. “So, how…?”

“This is the Celadon City police!” bellowed a woman’s voice from behind me. She stood with a megaphone in hand and the entire city’s police force at her back. “Stand down, Team Rocket!”

Two orange dogs stood at her side, one much larger than the other.

There was also a Gyarados.

And...

My eyes widened. “Paul?!”

He and the lady cop howled at the top of their lungs: “Once more! Flamethrower!!”

Gyarados and the two dog Pokémon launched an enormous stream of fire to further push back the pursuing Team Rocket agents. Instead, they attempted to regroup with their comrades, or flee; whatever they attempted, their efforts were wasted.

“Move out!”

On command, the police raided the Game Corner.

But Paul didn’t go with them.

Overwhelmed by the pain, I didn’t notice when Grotle tore apart the netting, cutting off the electrical current running through my body. I had a massive headache and my limbs cramped badly, but I could freely breathe.

“Ow…”

Paul rushed over and reached out to me. “Rosa, are you—?”

“Don’t touch me!” I tore my hand away and moved out of his reach. Keeping my gaze fixed on him, I limply gestured to the other Pokémon. “Just...get them first…” He nodded before telling Grotle the same.

The pounding headache started to consume my senses. My mind spun. I struggled to breathe. The weight of a mountain had collapsed on my body. As the pain settled in, I tightened my arms around the bag in my lap.

“And please...don’t…” I panted. “Please… Don’t let anyone see inside…”

The pain took over, and my eyes closed for good.


	25. Bitter and Sweet Reunions

At first there was music, but it grew darker as the seconds passed. When it started to fade, I felt a sense of falling, as if I entered a part of myself that was hidden. I found an empty room, pitch-black with no visible doorways or windows. No light anywhere. I felt sluggish, slow and warbled, like I was underwater.

“H-Hello?”

My cries came out muffled and barely audible, making me feel trapped and alone.

_ “I won’t leave you.” _

At the voice, I spun around on my heels. Behind me stood the outline of a figure: a man wearing a hat, and a Pikachu. My lips quivered at the sight, curling into a deeper frown when the darkness began pulling him in the other direction.

“No!”

I wanted to race over and embrace him, but my feet wouldn’t move.

_ “I won’t...leave...you…” _ he muttered, calmly watching his Pikachu vanish into thin air.

“N-No, please… Wait!”

Growing desperate, I lifted my heavy legs like cinder blocks, one after the other, inching towards the man as quickly as possible. But no matter how fast I moved, he never got any closer to me.

_ “I won’t…” _

Tears streamed down my cheek. “Please, don’t…!”

_ “Rosa…” _

The figure disappeared.

“No, please don’t! Don’t leave me! Not again!! STOP—!!”

My world lit up in blue sparks.

★

After being—literally—jolted awake, I shot up in bed, clutching my shirt tightly with one hand and reaching out with the other. My hair poked out in all directions from the electricity. My mouth hung open, emitting a silent scream before panting heavily.

“Hey. Take it easy, Rosa.”

The calm voice returned me to reality.

I blinked at the disturbingly white ceiling, and I acknowledged the soreness coursing through my body, leaving me without any strength at all. Someone had bandaged sections of my arms, and the infamous heart monitor sat at my side.

On the other side was a person, and a couple of Pokémon.

“Paul? Luxio? Grotle, too?”

Luxio barked, jumped onto the bed, and pushed his fluffy head into my chest.

I threw an arm around him even though my head was a mess. My memory was fuzzy and blurry. I couldn’t seem to recall what made me come here.  _ Where even is “here?” _ “Where am I?”

“The Pokémon Center,” replied Paul from his chair. “You were brought here after you passed out.”

“Oh. I must’ve taken a decent hit from that net then.”

“And then you looked like you were having a bad dream. Are you alright?”

“Y-Yeah, I am. It was...nothing.” Luxio placed his paws on my leg and stared up at my face, searching for any semblance of a lie. I distracted him by scratching under his chin. “So, you woke me up, didn’t you?” Luxio purred.

“He’s hardly left your side this whole time—”

When Paul rose and took a step towards us, the Electric-type Pokémon snapped his head back and snarled.

With Grotle’s advice to step back, the boy nervously recoiled. “R-Right. And he hasn’t let me near you either.”

“Good,” I said with a scowl, finally registering Paul’s problematic presence in the same room as me. During the Team Rocket incident, I nearly forgot what happened between us back on the steps of Celadon Gym. Seeing his face brought those memories to the forefront of my mind.

My palms got sweaty. My stomach hardened. I tried to keep my chin up, lips pressed together, and eyes from watering. Nausea nearly consumed me and my five senses. Both arms were now around Luxio squeezing him against my torso, silently giving permission to attack if he got any closer.

Shuddering underneath my stern glare, Paul stuttered, “W-Well, I’m glad I found you.”

I was on the defensive quickly. “Really? You’re glad? That sounds like a load of crap.”

“Hey, it’s true. The situation may not be ideal, but I’m glad I found you—”

Though I refused to meet his eyes, I projected my voice, shaky or not. “Why?!”

“Because, I wanted to talk to you.”

I gritted my teeth, hoping Luxio’s soft fur against my chest would soothe the painful ache beginning to form. “Something else you needed to get off your chest? I think you covered everything pretty well.”

“No, I just… Nevermind. I can see you need a minute, so I’ll leave you two alone.” With trembling fists, he stepped towards the door. “I’ll let Nurse Joy know you’re awake. We’ll be back soon.”

His uninterested tone struck a nerve. “Hmph. Don’t bother showing up if you have somewhere else you’d rather be.”

With one hand hovering above the doorknob, Paul glanced back at me from over his shoulder, struggling to maintain his composure. “There are lots of places I’d rather be than here, but—”

“But what, Paul?! But what? You don’t want me around? You want to be rid of me? Well, the feeling’s mutual!” I plucked a slipper from the floor and chucked it in his direction. “Now, get out already! Leave! It’s what you wanted, right?! GO!”

Paul listened and left with Grotle, gently shutting the door behind him.

The second he disappeared, I collapsed against the pillows. The rage in my body slowly fizzled out. It left behind a sense of emptiness, and a sense of betrayal that rocked me to the very core; my feelings felt betrayed. With a wobbly sigh, a few tears escaped down my cheeks, and I hurriedly wiped them away.

Luxio stepped closer to paw at my face, making a low whine.

Sniffling, I tensed to ward off the shaking and pushed my fingers through his mane. “Yes, thank you. I’m fine. But what about you? You got injured, too, right? You should be resting with the others.”

Shaking his head, Luxio flicked his tail back and forth.

Grinning from ear to ear, I touched my forehead to his. “That’s a relief. I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

He licked my face.

I pulled away and took a deep breath to calm down.

“Okay, I feel better now. So, do you know how the others are doing? How’s Pikachu?”

Before he could answer, the door to my room burst open.

“WAAH! She is awake!”

A girl with brown pigtails charged into the room, ignoring the protests of Nurse Joy and another woman; I also saw that Paul had returned, just like he said he would. I pretended not to notice. The little girl took a mighty leap and threw herself at me, closely followed by her blue tadpole. Her cheeks were stained by tears.

“Waah!! Rosa, you’re okay! And you saved Poliwag! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

I held her tight as she sobbed.

“You’re welcome, Daisy. I’m just glad to see you two back together again.” While rubbing her back, my eyes flickered over to Poliwag. I reached out a hand to pat his head. “Are you feeling better now?”

The Pokémon responded by bouncing around on his two stubby feet, which caused him to accidentally lose balance and tumble off the bed. Of course, he got up without a problem and continued to bounce around with a gleeful smile.

A slow smile graced my features. “Good, I’m glad.”

“And now you’re with your friend again, mister!” Daisy smiled over at Paul.

“Huh?” I said, raising an eyebrow in Paul’s direction.

“Yeah! He searched all over the city for you!”

Unable to believe it, I turned my head away. “Yeah, right. He probably just said that…”

“It’s true, Rosa.” Nurse Joy stepped further into the room, earning my attention. “Paul looked all over town for you. The only reason the police got to you so fast and stopped Team Rocket is because of him. He ran into Daisy by accident, and after learning that you chased Team Rocket, he went straight to Officer Jenny to get help tracking you down.”

Grotle also backed up Nurse Joy’s claim.

Rapidly blinking, I shot the purple-haired boy an incredulous stare. “Did…Did you really look for me?”

He nodded. “I needed to see you, and talk to you.”

“About what?”

“Well, uh…” He struggled with his words; his struggle answered my question.

“Let me guess. Erika won’t let you into the gym.”

“How’d you know?”

“Well, you made yourself clear you never wanted to see me again. Why else would you be here now?”

“I...I…”

Daisy peered up at me. “Did you two have a fight?”

I swallowed hard and rubbed her head with a grin. “Oh, it’s nothing you really need to worry about. Hey, I forgot to tell you what a great job you did training Poliwag. When we escaped, I had him use a couple attacks, and they were really powerful.”

“Really? Hear that Poliwag?” Poliwag danced around.

“Yeah, his Ice Beam and Bubble Beam were super cool!”

She wore a toothy grin. “I’m so glad he was able to help!”

“You both did.”

“Alright, Daisy, that’s enough. You shouldn’t bug her. She’s trying to rest.”

Formerly standing at Nurse Joy’s side, the unknown woman entered the room and approached her daughter.

“Come on, honey,” said the mother in a strict tone. “It’s time to go.”

Daisy’s arms remained tight around my waist, extremely reluctant to leave.

“You must be Daisy’s mom,” I muttered.

Obviously not hearing the hostile growl at the back of my throat, she turned to me and bowed. “Allow me to apologize. It’s because of my daughter and her Poliwag that you got dragged into this mess.”

A vein throbbed on my forehead.

_ Are you kidding me? _

Guess what my response was?

A laugh.

A chuckle, actually.

“Why are you apologizing? I’m a Pokémon Trainer. Dealing with Pokémon is the mess that I actively deal with every day, and I choose to. You’re a mother, which means you  _ chose _ to have your daughter, who by the way is a lovely and smart girl with a passion for becoming a Pokémon Trainer just like myself.”

She registered the disgust oozing from my voice. “Do you have a point, dear?”

“Yeah, I have a point,  _ dear _ . You need to take better care of your daughter.”

“Excuse me? Who are you to talk to me about my parenting—?!”

“You mean your  _ lousy _ parenting? If you really think you get to dictate your daughter’s life when you’re gambling yours away every night, then you need to work on yourself first. Don’t apologize for your daughter and her Pokémon. If anything, apologize to her for making her feel like she can’t be who she is. You’re supposed to be on her side, and her number one fan, aren’t you? Start acting like it!”

The woman staggered, unable to properly reply to my statement.

After a moment, she glanced down at her daughter. “Come on, Daisy. Say your goodbyes, and then we should be heading home.” She excused herself from the room, nodding to Nurse Joy on the way out.

Once she left, Daisy gazed up at me with huge eyes. “Did you really mean that?”

I nodded. “I meant every word of it. Daisy, I want you to become what  _ you _ want to be. I know you can become a Pokémon Trainer, and a really great one. You and Poliwag will be the best team.”

“Thank you, Rosa! Oh!” She unclipped the flower from her head and held it out. “You can have this back now.”

I stared at the accessory for a while. Then, I pushed my hand forward, curled her fingers around it, and shoved it back towards the little girl. “Why don’t you hang onto that, Daisy? It looks better in your hair than mine.”

“You want me to keep it?”

“It is your favorite flower, right? Besides, it’ll give me a reason to buy a new one. Like, a rose?”

Her smile widened as she returned the clip to her head. “I promise to take care of it!”

“Good. And once you are a Pokémon Trainer, let’s have a battle. Here’s my number so you can let me know.” I scribbled my phone number on a piece of paper and handed it to the girl. “Or you can just message me if you ever want to talk. Sound good?”

With her wobbly lip, she tucked the slip of paper into a pocket and then hugged me once more. “I’m gonna beat you next time I see you, Rosa!”

“I’m looking forward to it.”

Waving, Daisy and Poliwag sprinted out of the room.

As we watched them leave, Nurse Joy said, “For as long as I’ve known those two, her mother has always been opposed to the idea of Daisy becoming a Pokémon Trainer. Do you really think she’ll listen to what you said?”

“I don’t expect her to change overnight, but if she cares about Daisy, she’ll consider it. If not, then at least Daisy knows she has someone on her side.” I checked the time on my phone, finding it to be almost ten o’clock.

“Wow. That was pretty impressive,” said Paul, approaching my bedside. Luxio once again snarled at him, but I used my hand to make him stand down. “How would your parents react if you talked to them like that?”

I shrugged. “Not sure.”

“What does that mean? Don’t you know how your parents react to things?”

“That’s none of your concern,” I hissed, silencing him in an instant.

He nervously cleared his throat. “Anyways, here.” He held out my backpack.

“My bag? Why do you have it? Nurse Joy should be the one with it, not you.”

“Well, you sent Zubat to the Pokémon Center, right? She found us instead and brought the bag to me.”

My shoulders slumped. “Oh yeah. There’s no way Zubat could’ve known about what happened. I can’t be mad at her then.” I quickly filed through the contents of my bag to make sure everything was there.

Then, it hit me.

“Ah! What about the other bag?!”

“Other bag?”

“The black bag! The one I was holding when I passed out! You know, the one with…” I froze up, pondering whether to finish my sentence or not.

Paul finished it for me. “Dratini?”

“Y-You saw it? I told you not to let anyone look inside! That included you!”

“What was I supposed to do when it just flopped out of the bag unconscious?”

I clamped my mouth shut.

“So, I covered it as best as I could and brought it to Nurse Joy,” he continued.

Hearing her name, she stepped forward. “I’m taking care of Dratini and all the other Pokémon in a separate recovery room right now. Would you like to see them, Rosa?”

“Yes, please!” I threw myself out of bed, using Luxio for support, and marched out of the room behind Nurse Joy. Paul objected against walking around in my current condition, but I brushed aside his concerns.

I followed Nurse Joy to a small room adjacent to the main emergency room, close to the very back of the building. Inside, we spotted a group of cushioned tables with heat lamps hovering above them. Pikachu, Vulpix, and five Eevee rested there, closely monitored by two of Nurse Joy’s Chansey.

One of the Eevee perked up at our appearance, smiling and hopping over to us.

“Ah, Eevee!” said Paul.

“Huh?” I gasped in surprise when Eevee leaped into Paul’s arms. She climbed onto his shoulder and nuzzled his face. “Wha… What’s going on?”

Fighting back a smile, Paul reached up to scratch Eevee’s ear. “We got to know each other while you were snoozing. I was the one who freed her and Luxio from the net, and since then, she hasn’t left my side except to check on the others.”

I couldn’t help but grin at Paul’s uncharacteristic affection. “Who are you and what have you done with Paul?”

He huffed and replied, “It’s still the same old me.”

“Doubt it.”

Suddenly, Eevee jumped to the floor and hurried over to Luxio. He tensed up, completely unsure about what to do as the brown fox affectionately nuzzled his side. My heart instantly exploded.

“Aww! Luxio, it looks like you’ve got a fan!” I squealed in excitement.

He sheepishly grinned, having no clue whatsoever how to handle the affection.

“It must be her way of saying thanks for protecting her... Speaking of which, when the hell did you even learn Protect?!”

Blushing, he dipped his head and quietly barked.

“Ohhh. You learned it just to protect Eevee, huh? I see how it is.”

With his face turning crimson, he howled at me before turning his head away.

_ How cute!! _

I looked back at the sleeping Pokémon, running a hand over Pikachu’s head. “So, how’s everyone else, Nurse Joy?”

“The others will be asleep for a few hours. We healed the burns from the electrocution nets and all the scrapes from being captive. Vulpix’s leg wound was the only one that needed extensive treatment, but now they’re all good as new. They should be up and walking around before the end of the day.”

“That’s great,” replied Paul.

I nervously looked around. “But, what about Dratini?”

At the far corner of the room, Nurse Joy pulled back a blanket to reveal a glass cage. A blue serpent slept inside and was hooked up to a variety of machines surrounding the incubation chamber. The Chansey frequently stepped over to check Dratini’s vital signs.

“On top of the electrical burns, we treated the injuries around its neck and gave it some painkillers to help it sleep. It’ll be out for a while, but it should be fine once it wakes up.” She frowned before continuing. “You found it at the perfect time.”

“Was it injured that badly?” I asked.

“It’s not just about the injuries. This Dratini is a newborn.”

“What?!” Paul and I both gasped.

“I’m afraid it’s true. When we performed a check-up, we learned that Dratini is only a few days old. Team Rocket must’ve very recently stolen it from its nest at a time when the mother wasn’t looking.”

“You’re kidding!”

She shook her head. “It’s even possible that it might’ve been stolen as an egg.”

I gazed over at the young Dragon Pokémon. “When I first found Dratini, it hesitated to leave its cage; it even attacked me when I tried to get it out. If it was stolen as an egg and then hatched while in captivity, then the cage is all that Dratini knows.” My palm touched the warm glass barrier separating us from Dratini. “For it to be taken at such a young age, from its mother, and its home, it makes me sick.”

Everyone’s gazes fixed on my trembling body.

“Those crooks! Just when I think they couldn’t stoop any lower, they go and do something like this.”

Holding back a vicious snarl, I thought of the head of the evil organization responsible for Dratini’s suffering. “Damn you, Giovanni!” I cursed under my breath. “Next time we meet, I’ll make you pay for what you’ve done.”

“Rosa, you alright?” asked Nurse Joy quietly.

I snapped out of my rage, looking around at the many worried expressions. I cleared my throat and nodded. “Y-Yeah. I’m fine. Just a little upset that I couldn’t do more to help Dratini sooner.”

“Hey,” said Paul, locking his sights on me. “It was out of your control what happened before you got there, but in the end, you rescued it, didn’t you?”

My mouth fell open. “You...You’re right. But I still want to help Dratini somehow.”

“Well, for now, Dratini needs to rest,” said Nurse Joy with a smile. “It can stay here until it's all better, so you can stay and pray for its recovery. It won’t take too much longer. One step at a time, right?”

“But, will Dratini be safe here? After all, it’s such a rare Pokémon. If people find out it’s here, then, no doubt, someone will try to steal it.”

“That won’t happen. The only ones who know about Dratini are in this room.” Nurse Joy looked around at the handful of people and Pokémon in the room, who all agreed with her. “And I intend to keep it that way.”

“What about Officer Jenny? I’m sure she’ll be conducting an investigation and will probably want the information on Dratini to use.”

“Well, I considered telling her, but Paul insisted on keeping Dratini a secret.”

“Y-You did?”

Once again holding Eevee in his arms, Paul scowled. “Isn’t that what you wanted? The only reason Nurse Joy knows is because she’s essential to Dratini getting better.”

I had nothing to say, realizing that he listened to my words better than I initially thought.

“So, if it’s alright, Dratini can remain here in this room until it’s recovered. Chansey and I will watch over it. And once it’s back to normal, we can decide how to handle it from there. You have my word that it’ll be safe here.”

With no other rational option, I nodded. “Then, please take care of it.”

Leaving Nurse Joy and Chansey to take care of the Pokémon, Paul and I left the room with Luxio, Grotle, and Eevee. She refused to move from her cozy spot in the boy’s arms. “I think she likes you,” I said with a grin.

“I guess so.”

_ Rowr!! _

A Growlithe appeared from out of nowhere and slammed into Paul.

I yelped and jumped away, holding both Luxio and Eevee in my arms now.

“Wha-What’s a Growlithe doing here?!”

“Sorry, Paul!”

The lady police officer, the one from the other night, hurried over to us with a massive orange dog at her side.

“Officer Jenny!” I gasped.

She glared at the dog that had pinned Paul to the floor. “Growlithe, I told you a million times not to use Take Down on people without a command first! You have no idea how strong you are.”

A half-chuckle escaped Paul’s lips as he struggled to sit up. “It’s alright.” He then pat the dog’s large head. “That Take Down is just as strong as always. You didn’t need to miss me that much.” The Pokémon barked before licking the boy’s face.

“Okay. Seriously, did something happen to Paul? He’s not acting normal,” I said to Grotle as we watched Paul struggle to push the dog off; the entire time, he wore half a smile on his face. “He’s smiling?”

Paul shot me a glare. “Is it really that much of a surprise?”

“Do I really need to answer that?”

Leaving them alone, Officer Jenny turned to me. “So, I finally get to meet the famous Rosa.”

“H-Huh? F-Famous?!”

She giggled. “Sorry. It’s just that Paul worried so much about you. I don’t think he’s gotten an ounce of sleep since he arrived at the station last night.”

I dipped my head. “Th-That...can’t be true.”

While I blushed, Paul replied to her comment with, “Don’t say it like that!”

Officer Jenny laughed again. “So, how are you feeling, Rosa?”

“I’m fine.” I made a fist. “A good nap and I’m all back to normal.”

“That’s a relief. I’m sorry about what you went through with Team Rocket, but please rest knowing myself and my fellow officers are working day and night to bring all of Team Rocket to justice. They’re gonna pay for what they’ve done to all those Pokémon.”

Confident in her team’s abilities, I smiled. “That would certainly make me sleep better.” I then looked past Officer Jenny at the magnificent, orange dog standing beside her. “Is...Is that a real Arcanine?”

“Sure is. He’s my partner. You’re welcome to say hi.”

Giddy with excitement, I stepped forward. “Nice to meet you, Arcanine. Mind if I pet you?”

He responded by pushing his cold, black nose into my hand.

“Ha ha! That tickles. How can your nose be so cold when you’re a Fire-type? Hey, Dex, can you analyze Growlithe and Arcanine for me?”

My Pokédex was quick to respond.

“ _ Growlithe the Puppy Pokémon, and Arcanine the Legendary Pokémon. Arcanine is the evolved form of Growlithe. Growlithe has a pleasant demeanor and great diligence. Loyal to its master, this Pokémon is very protective and will drive away enemies with its barks and bites. It will not move without a command from its master. _

“ _ Evolving from Growlithe when exposed to a Fire Stone, Arcanine is known for its bravery and fierce loyalty, and its majestic cry. This Pokémon runs so smoothly it appears to be flying. The fire that blazes wildly within this Pokémon's body is its source of power. _ ”

I marveled at the creature before me. “Seeing an Arcanine in the flesh, well, doesn’t even compare to the rumors.”

Arcanine allowed me to push my fingers through his billowing mane.

“So warm!”

Though appreciating the sight of Arcanine as well, Paul focused more on the smaller orange dog who had previously tackled him to the floor. It barked up at the boy. “What’s up, Growlithe?”

Officer Jenny giggled. “Growlithe’s been a little antsy since we split up. He wanted to see you.”

“That so?” Growlithe barked again and wagged his tail.

I smirked. “You’re just making friends all over, aren’t you, Paul?”

“Out of circumstance, sure.”

“How did you two even meet?”

“You see, Paul came to my station with Nurse Joy and Daisy about the information regarding you and Team Rocket. He needed help finding you, so I had Growlithe here help him in the search. Growlithe’s nose works like no other.”

“He helped you pick up my scent?”

“We used the hair clip that you gave Daisy,” said Paul.

Hearing that made me smile, happy that I had sent her when I did. “That makes sense.”

“It was because of Growlithe that we found you.”

“Not only that, we were also able to discover Team Rocket’s hideout and take it down in one night,” said the police officer. “Thanks to you both, I was able to lead my team on a successful raid of the Game Corner and apprehend most of the criminals. We’re continuing an investigation on their leader, and also on a second intruder.”

“Second intruder?” Paul repeated.

“Yes. We’ve interrogated a lot of the thugs we’ve arrested. A lot of them are claiming that there was a second intruder, a boy, who infiltrated the casino at the same time Rosa did. He escaped with the help of a Pikachu.”

I shuddered, feeling the small floppy disc tucked in my back pocket. Up until that moment, I thought my encounter with the boy was only a strange dream. Apparently, it was very real.

“Of course, then there are other grunts who said they only saw Rosa. Did you see anyone like that while you were down there?”

Swallowing hard, I shook my head and spit out the most believable lie I could create. “I didn’t see anyone like that. Sorry. I was so focused on getting myself and all the Pokémon out to safety that I didn’t pay attention to much else.”

“Well, that’s alright. I understand. In fact, you’ve done more than enough. On behalf of the police force, we salute you for your help in saving the Pokémon and stopping those bad guys.” She saluted me.

I blushed. “Please. It was nothing. I was just trying to help.”

“Well, I have to get back to work, but would you mind letting me know if anything useful comes to mind? Here. I’ll leave you my card.” She removed a business card from her jacket pocket and handed it to me. “Just call if you want to tell me anything.”

“Okay. Will do.”

“Thanks. Now, come on, you two. Let’s get back to the station.” She turned to walk off, and while Arcanine followed, Growlithe stayed in place. “Something wrong, boy?”

He sat right in front of Paul, refusing to move. It surprised both of us.

“Oh, I see. You want to spend more time with Paul, huh? Why don’t you spend the rest of the afternoon with him? Just be back at the station before dinnertime. Does that sound like a plan?”

The puppy smiled and wagged his tail.

With that, Officer Jenny and Arcanine disappeared down the hall.

I turned to the Pokémon around us. “Well, let’s get some grub at the cafeteria. I’m starved.” However, before I could take a step forward, a hand reached out and snatched my wrist.

“Wait. Please, wait.”

I didn’t look back at him.

“Can we talk now? Please?” Paul asked.

It was tempting to lash out at him again. However, he helped out a lot with Dratini, and if both Eevee and Growlithe were able to befriend him practically overnight, I decided he was worth lending an ear.

“Fine, but over food. I’ll respond better if my stomach isn’t empty.”


	26. A Tale of Six Tails

We planned to eat lunch at the Pokémon Center’s picnic area. Paul offered to pay for the entire meal; remembering my manners, I thanked him. While he and the Pokémon grabbed food, I hurried off real quick to take care of some personal business.

Now, Paul sat with Luxio, Grotle, Eevee, and Growlithe waiting for me to return.

“Where the hell did Rosa say she was going?” grumbled Paul.

Luxio barked, chastising him for being impatient and reiterating the fact that I warned them about being a few minutes late.

"She could've at least allowed us to start eating without her."

Grotle smacked him for suggesting something so rude.

"No, it’s alright, Grotle. I honestly didn't expect him to wait for me,” I said as I approached their table with hands on my hips. Paul’s impatience surprised me very little. "That's asking too much."

Their eyes widened, and jaws dropped.

Paul shot up out of his seat. "Did you make us wait just for a wardrobe change?!"

As I straightened the hem of my blue tank, I flatly answered, “I told you I was going to get changed. There was no way I could wear my old dress after it got torn up. So, this is my new look! What do you think?”

All the Pokémon voiced their approval, especially Luxio. He barked and wagged his tail with a wide smile.

"Thanks, guys!"

While they all marveled at me and my new outfit, Paul kept his flustered expression out of sight. “When… When did you even buy those?”

"I didn't. Nurse Joy gave them to me. She did a great job picking it out." Eevee hopped onto my shoulder. "You think so, too? The clothes are so light and comfy, and this skirt isn't too short. And you can't ignore the vibrant colors."

Despite loving the current red and blue theme, Grotle suggested wearing green clothes next time.

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

“Okay, okay. Enough with this sideshow,” groaned Paul, his head still turned away. “Can we just move on from this shit and eat now…?” His eyes snapped open because, once again, he let his mouth do the talking.

“Hmph. And here I thought you’d actually be nice after everything that’s happened,” I spat with narrowed eyes.

“No, wait! That came out wrong. I mean—”

“Meant what? You worded it pretty clearly. After all, you couldn’t care less about cute things like fashion, right?”

He sheepishly turned away. “Uh, well, that’s true in most cases. But that’s not what I’m saying here. I…”

“It’s fine. Just forget it. Sorry, I made such a big deal out of something so stupid. I’ll try to keep it under control next time.” Ignoring his terrible attempts to correct himself, I shoved past him and took the opposite seat. “The only reason I’m here is because you bought me food. So, what’s for lunch?”

After a moment, he plopped down in his chair. "Here. I figured these would be perfect for a time like this." He reached into his backpack and took out a couple of boxed lunches, plus several cans of Pokémon food. "There's no cooking involved, and they're portable."

“Wow,” I gasped.

Paul misinterpreted my tone. “Hey. I know it’s not your cooking, but it’s the best stuff they had in stock. If you don’t like it, then…”

“I never said it didn’t look good, Paul!”

He stopped.

With my chest aching, I struggled to resist throwing something at him. “You really have a problem with everything that comes out of my mouth, don’t you? I’m starting to think the food isn’t even worth it.”

The air between us immediately grew awkward.

“Sorry,” he murmured before pushing both boxes towards me. “Here. Pick whichever one you want.”

I almost refused him entirely.

“Come on. You haven’t eaten in a while. Please take one.”

Without looking at him, I selected a box and pulled it toward me. “Thanks.”

We all began eating our lunch peacefully and quietly. I nibbled on the bite-sized foods that came in my bento, watching Paul from the corner of my eye as he fed all the Pokémon. Luxio strongly protested against eating the store-bought stuff.

“I know you’ll only eat Rosa’s cooking, but she isn’t feeling up to it at the moment. It’s just for today. Please, Luxio,” said Paul.

Luxio gazed between us both before chowing down.

“Sorry, buddy.” I reached down to scratch his head. “Give me until tomorrow, and then I’ll whip up the best batch of Pokémon food you’ve ever had.”

Paul glanced at me for a moment. I turned to him at the same time, and we both turned away and went back to eating.

The awkward silence remained, lasting long enough for the Pokémon to notice. After finishing their food, they all calmly watched us with heads pivoting this way and that, fingers crossed for someone to start the conversation.

“These bentos are pretty good, huh?” said Paul, trying to break the silence.

I popped a dumpling in my mouth and chewed. “Uh-huh.” My box had fried dumplings with an assortment of veggies and white rice on the side, and I enjoyed every bite. Paul didn’t deserve to know that, though, so I strained to keep up a blank face.

After a few more bites, Paul decided to acknowledge the elephant in the room—or outside, in our case.

“So, can we talk now?”

My eyes and mood beginning to drop, I gulped back some rice and slightly nodded. “I’m listening.”

Paul cleared his throat. “Before anything, I need to apologize to you. I was out of line yesterday. All those awful things I said yesterday was out of anger. It wasn’t because I was mad at you, but you were just the closest thing that I could vent to.”

“So, your excuse is that I’m collateral damage?” I nearly snorted from the ridiculousness of the notion. “Because if that’s how you’re going to apologize, don’t even bother.”

“I’m serious here, Rosa! I…” He stopped, quickly registering the volume of his voice and straining to bring it back down. Then, to my surprise, he bowed his head, slamming it straight into the table.

“Ah!” I shrieked, a little worried when he didn’t yelp in pain. “Y-You okay?”

“I’m sorry, Rosa!”

I gazed at him.

“I’m truly, truly sorry. I don’t think I can say it enough. I hope you know that.”

“I…” A shaky sigh escaped my lips, “...I know, Paul. And while I do think your apology is sincere, I also know that there’s an ulterior motive behind it. My guess is that Erika won’t let you back into the gym without me. Is that right?”

He shuddered. “How… How do you know?”

“Well, she did witness  _ that _ . No doubt, she would’ve turned you away after yelling at the very same person who defended you.”

“Yeah. That’s just what she told me, too.”

I nodded.

“So, will you come with me? To the gym? Please?”

My gut told me to refuse since I couldn’t look straight at him without feeling a sharp pain in my chest, and his painful words were forever burned into my memory. However, he helped out a lot over the past twenty-four hours, especially with the Pokémon. Plus, he would never obtain his fourth badge if I didn’t return to the gym with him.

After a moment, I gave my answer:

“No.”

His tone quickly turned desperate. “What? Why—”

“Not right now, anyway,” I continued, making him pause. “We’ll go after all the Pokémon have completely recovered, whether that’s tonight or tomorrow or the day after or next week. It doesn’t matter.”

“But, that’s too...long…” he shut up when I scowled at him.

“You have no choice, Paul. You need me to get into that gym, but I’m not going  _ anywhere _ until everyone is fully healed. The Pokémon will always be my first priority, no matter what. If you have a problem with that, boo-hoo.”

He gulped and nodded. “Okay. Deal.”

“Then, it’s settled. As soon as all the Pokémon are feeling better, I promise to go to the gym with you. But afterward...” I looked him in the eye and straightened my shoulders. My next words came out as quick and powerful as a bolt of lightning. “Don’t expect us to travel together or anything.”

He said nothing and silently processed my words.

My phone vibrated inside my pocket. I went to inspect it.

“Ah!”

After inhaling the rest of my food, I rushed inside the Pokémon Center and hurried to the emergency room. Luxio, Paul, and the other Pokémon begged me to slow down, but I ignored their pleas.

I barreled through the doors. “I got your message, Nurse Joy! How’s…”

Nurse Joy stood beside a calm red fox.

“You sure didn’t waste your time,” she said with a slight grin.

“Vulpix?” I marched over to the table.

Upon spotting me, Vulpix wagged her six tails and barked.

“I’m glad to see you’re awake. How’s the leg?”

She tapped her foot against the table several times.

“Good, I’m glad. It wasn’t too fun watching you hobble around last night.”

“And we’ve got some Pokémon food for you, Vulpix.” At Nurse Joy’s command, Chansey brought over a bowl of Pokémon food and set it down before the small fox. “It’s all for you. Go ahead and eat. You must be starving.”

Vulpix blinked. She leaned forward to sniff the food, then gagged and backed away.

“Oh, boy. This recipe is supposed to be good for fire-types. We can remake it with different ingredients if you want.”

The Pokémon remained quiet and turned away with half-lidded eyes.

I squinted. “No. I don’t think the food’s the issue, Nurse Joy.” When I stepped closer and crouched to meet Vulpix at eye level, she weakly smiled and continued wagging her tails, as though nothing was wrong. “For some reason, she’s just not hungry.”

“I wonder why? I can’t imagine any of the Pokémon have eaten anything decent since their capture, so her appetite should be spiking soon. We did a full check-up just earlier, and Vulpix isn’t sick.”

I tried inching the bowl towards Vulpix. She considered it for a moment before refusing once again. “I don’t think it has anything to do with her physically. I think she isn’t feeling well, like mentally.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Well, all these Pokémon just went through some serious trauma. Team Rocket stole an egg from its nest and tried forcing Eevee to evolve. Since Vulpix was locked in the lab alongside them, no doubt, they put her through something just as awful and heartless. I agree that she should eat…” When I considered Vulpix’s face, I frowned. “But she won’t until we can get her to feel better.”

“How do you suggest we do that?”

“Maybe we find a Trainer who’s good with fire-types, or good with specifically Vulpix.”

“Like, a Vulpix expert?” asked Paul, who I failed to notice enter the room. He had recalled Grotle to his Poké Ball.

“That’s a great idea!” chirped Nurse Joy. “Someone who knows a lot about training and care for Vulpix would definitely have a better chance at helping her out than we could.”

I put a hand to my chin. “A Vulpix...expert—Ah! We’re in Celadon City, huh?!”

“Uh, yeah,” Paul said with a nod.

“Nurse Joy, is Vulpix well enough to leave this room?”

She hurriedly nodded. “Yes, although I think she shouldn’t jump straight into battles.”

“We won’t do anything too reckless.” I scooped up Vulpix and held her tight against my chest. “I know someone who’s guaranteed to help us out. I’ve never met them myself, but if anyone can help us, it’s her. So come with me, okay, Vulpix?”

She whined.

“Let’s go, Luxio!”

“Wait!” Paul called just before we reached the door. “Do you...want me to come, too?”

“I mean, you can if you want.” We both noticed Eevee rushing over to Luxio’s side. “It seems Eevee doesn’t want to be apart from Luxio, so that’s probably a good idea. But, don’t you have to bring Growlithe back to the station?”

“Oh yeah.” Paul and Growlithe glanced at each other. “I almost forgot.”

“Well, why don’t you do that and meet up with us?”

Eevee returned to Paul’s shoulder. “Where?”

“1020 Scissor Street.”

“1020 what?”

“Scissor Street. Either meet us there or back here!” Waving to Nurse Joy, I hurried off.

★

Thanks to a glance at the city map, I found the neighborhood in question. Luxio and I power-walked along Scissor Street; Vulpix cozied up in my arms, radiating a warmth that could be just as effective as a lullaby. My head swiveled back and forth, reading the numbers on the buildings as well as signs and advertisements.

“Ah, man, this is going to be harder than I thought. So many people. So many shops,” I groaned.

Vulpix asked about anything that might help in our search.

“Keep an eye out for a sign with a Vulpix on it.”

“Rosa!”

I stopped and looked back, a little surprised to see Paul and Eevee. “You came.”

He paused to catch his breath. “Yeah. I said I’d come along, didn’t I?” Eevee suddenly bounced off his shoulder and crashed into Luxio with a bone-crushing hug. “And she wanted to see Luxio as soon as possible.”

My Pokémon looked to me for help.

I giggled. “Nope. You’ve got to deal with that on your own, mister. Come on.”

We walked along the sidewalk together, inspecting each storefront that we passed.

“So, how’d it go with Growlithe and Officer Jenny?”

“Huh? Oh, it went fine,” Paul replied with a slight grin.

“You’re pretty happy even though you and Growlithe were getting along well.”

“Yeah, because everything worked out for both of us.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He smirked. “You’ll see.”

I shrugged my shoulders. “Alright. Keep your secrets.”

Before the conversation could end permanently, Paul spoke again. “So, anyway, why did we come here to Scissor Street?”

With a teasing tone, I replied, “You’ll see.”

“Very funny. But, seriously, why? From what I can tell, there are a lot of Pokémon beauty salons and shops. Is there something special you wanted to visit or check out? Some special sale they’re having.”

My shoulders slumped, yet my tone of voice had no trace of sadness; it sounded like the opposite. “I didn’t come here for cutesy, girly stuffy if that’s what you’re thinking,” I hissed as I tightly gripped Vulpix.

“I-I didn’t say you were.”

“Oh. You didn’t?” Blinking rapidly, I cursed myself for misinterpreting his words. I blushed and turned away. “Anyways, if you didn’t know already, Scissor Street is also called Breeders’ Lane.”

“Is that why? That makes sense. You’re always going on and on about wanting to become a great Pokémon Breeder, in addition to a Trainer. We’re probably here to check out the latest breeder gear, right?”

“No, I’m not checking it out for me. It’s for Vulpix. I mean, sure, I wouldn’t mind some window shopping. This neighborhood is packed with people who devote all their time and energy to raising the best Pokémon. Some of the world’s best Breeders have shops here. There are lots of terrific makeup places and fashion salons, too, and they’re all just for Pokémon. Ooh, look at this!” I found a poster on the wall of a dolled-up Ekans and Koffing. “No doubt, this is a fashion trend right now. Super cute!”

Paul made a face. “You think that’s cute?”

I heard his tone and shriveled up, dialing my excitement to the negatives. “I mean, it’s okay. It reminds me of a Christmas tree. Come on. Let’s keep going. Judging by the numbers on the buildings, I think we’re getting closer.” I continued down the street, unaware of the raised eyebrow that Paul shot me.

“Is it just me, or is she acting weird?” Paul whispered to Luxio. He returned his skepticism with a look, making the boy panic. “You don’t think she took what I said earlier to heart, do you?” The Pokémon left Paul to his thoughts.

“We’re only here to get some help for Vulpix,” I said. “She isn’t feeling well, and I want to talk to an expert on her species. Maybe they’ll have some insights about why she’s upset and be able to help her out.”

“But, isn’t that what you’re good at?”

I froze. “Wh-What do you mean?”

“Well, you’ve always been good at reading others. I just think it’s kind of pointless to go to someone else for that.”

My cheeks burned like the sun. “I’m not an expert or anything. I’ve only gotten lucky up to this point, but this isn’t a situation for an amateur. I need someone who really knows a specific Pokémon. In this case, it’s Vulpix.” I continued forward with shaky steps, trying to process his compliment.

We passed by a salon with a plethora of colorful advertisements. Sitting just above the front door, a set of speakers allowed a man’s deep voice to shout out to the crowds of Celadon City.

“ _ You won’t believe how beautiful a Pokémon can be! Step in and see for yourself! Let us dazzle you with the latest fashions by the expert stylists of Salon Roquet! _ ”

“Did he just say Salon Roquet?” Paul asked. “That name sounds familiar.”

Though tempted by the sales pitch, I focused on Vulpix, wrinkling my nose at the line of people waiting before the salon’s front doors. “Well, let’s keep walking. I’m not about to get sucked into something hardly worth my time or money.”

“Really? You don’t want your Pokémon to become ‘Kanto’s Next Top Model,’” Paul joked as we passed a lady exiting the salon with a couple of Pokémon. Her Dodrio—a tall, brown bird with three heads—and Raichu were given a makeover, much to their obvious displeasure.

“A Pokémon’s outward appearance and beauty isn’t the only thing that matters,” I grumbled in response before resuming my search amongst the other buildings. My eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. “Ah! There it is!”

I rushed over to a two-story shop with floor-to-ceiling windows. “I found it! I really found it!! I’ve been looking everywhere for this place!”

“This is what we’ve been looking for?” asked Paul as he, Eevee, and Luxio caught up.

I shakily reached out a hand to open the door. Vulpix gave me a look.

“What are you so nervous about?” Paul pushed past me and opened the door.

Upon hearing the chime of the doorbell, a feminine voice called out: “Hello there, and welcome to my shop. I’ll be with you in just a minute!”

“Ahhh!” I rushed inside.

Inside, Paul and I found a woman with green hair gently massaging a Chansey. “Just relax,” she cooed to the smiling Pokémon. “Release all your tension.” She finished with the massage and stepped back to let the Pokémon stand on the table. “Now, you’ll have more energy.”

Chansey jumped down in front of a mirror and struck a pose.

A woman entered the store from behind us and stepped over to the pair. She had a stylish hairdo, colorful outfit, and accessories, looking like a model. “Chansey, I’ve come for you, darling!”

The green-haired lady and Chansey walked over.

“Oh my, don’t you look precious?!”

“Thank you for bringing Chansey to my salon," said the lady with a respectful bow.

“See you soon, Suzie!” The Chansey Trainer headed for the door, but she paused for a quick moment to stare at me. “Oh my! You have got to tell me where you got that shirt, dear! And how on earth do you get your hair to look so healthy and beautiful?!”

Embarrassed, I grinned and replied: “Well, the hair is the result of daily brushing and using a conditioner every other day. The shirt was a gift from Nurse Joy back at the Pokémon Center.”

“Ooh. I’ll have to see Nurse Joy right away then. Okay, you cuties all have a good day. Thanks again, Suzie!” She and Chansey left the store.

"Who the hell was she?" asked a bewildered Paul. Luxio and Eevee were also a little confused.

"Charming. That's who she was," I replied with a smile.

“Are you two my next customers?”

I jumped after seeing that Suzie had gotten so close.

“We’re just, kind of, sort of, browsing around,” replied Paul.

“Uh, no, uhh…” I stammered.

“Oh, wow! That Vulpix is adorable.” Suzie got closer and admired the fox curled up in my arms.

I resisted the urge to shudder to not startle Vulpix, though she kept worrying that I’d explode. “Th-Thank you very much, Suzie," I stuttered, feeling the pressure of being in her presence. "Uh, I mean, this isn’t actually my Vulpix. It’s wild. I brought it here hoping to ask for your help.”

"I'd be happy to help you, uh…"

"Ah, I forgot to introduce myself! How rude. My name’s Rosa. Nice to meet you, Suzie. I want to breed like you—I mean, I want to be a Breeder like you—I mean, uh, thank you for letting us into your shop.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, Rosa. I’m flattered you want to make me your model.”

“Yes, I want to model you—I mean, I’m flattered that you’re flattered—I mean, uh, thank you for letting us into your shop.”

“You said that already,” muttered Paul.

“Shut up!" I slapped him upside the head and then looked back. "So, anyway, I came here hoping you might be able to help us."

"And out of everyone here on Scissor Street? I really am flattered."

“What makes her such a great Breeder, anyway?” asked Paul.

“How dare you!!” I screamed. “The Sensational Suzie of Scissor Street has been awarded the Trophy for Excellence at the World Pokémon Breeder’s Contest for three consecutive years. But wait, there’s more!

“In addition to that, the readers of Pokémon Friend’s Magazine named her the most popular Breeder four years running. And her hugely popular website records over ten-thousand hits per day. If that’s not what a great Breeder is, then I don’t know what is! She's been one of my role models for years, and—”

“Okay, Rosa, we hear you loud and clear.”

“And Suzie is an expert on Vulpix. She has a Vulpix of her own, which is just as popular as her Trainer and is renowned as a model in the Pokémon world.”

"Do you really?" asked Paul.

She nodded. "Sure do."

Stepping away from the front lobby, we followed Suzie through a door and ended up in a casually-furnished living room. On the sofa, a second red fox slept on a pile of pillows curled up in a ball.

"Vulpix, we have company. Come over and say hi."

The little Pokémon lifted her head, yawned, then rose and skipped over to greet us.

"Here. You say hello, too." I set Vulpix down at my feet. The two foxes acknowledged each other, but while Suzie’s acted overly friendly and joyful, mine lowered her head and backed away until she bumped against my leg. "You're even acting weird around another of your kind?"

"Is this part of the problem you needed help with?" asked Suzie.

"Yes. You see, this Vulpix was captured by Team Rocket sometime ago. I found her in a cage with some injuries, the biggest one on her leg. Nurse Joy nursed her back to health, but ever since she woke up, she's been a little depressed. She won't eat, and as far as I know, none of her personality is really showing. I'm worried."

"Hmm. Let's see." She crouched to get a closer look at the Pokémon. She ran a hand through her curly hair, and despite her reserved actions, Vulpix purred at the gentle touch. "It must be trauma."

"What kind of trauma?"

"That awful Team Rocket must’ve tried forcing her to evolve. When you try to force an evolution, it puts Pokémon into a sort of self-destructive mood. They think that the only way for them to be better or grow stronger is by evolving. It’s obviously not true, because a Pokémon can be strong without evolving, but it’s now harder for Vulpix to accept that without doubting herself."

That made me sad, and I wanted to find a way to cheer Vulpix up.

"Oh. I know!" I crouched down beside her. "Vulpix, let's have a battle!" Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Don’t be reckless, Rosa,” objected Paul. “Remember that Nurse Joy said not to let Vulpix battle."

"Yeah, I heard her, but come on. A Pokémon battle is the answer here. I just know it! No matter whether you’re sad or angry or frustrated, it’s the best way to cheer anyone up. It'll remind Vulpix that there's strength in everyone, whether you're evolved or not. What do you say?"

The little fox barked loudly and wagged her tail.

"That sounds like a great plan," Suzie said. "And we'll be your opponents."

"You will?"

Her smirk oozed confidence. "It's been a while since our last battle. Vulpix and I could use the chance to stretch our legs." Her Pokémon also smiled. “We even have a battlefield that we can use.”

“Sweet!”

We all stepped out to the backyard. Suzie, myself, and our two Vulpix took our places at opposite ends, and Paul stood in the referee’s spot. Luxio and Eevee watched from the sidelines, with Eevee continually brushing up against Luxio’s side.

“Make sure to keep your eyes on us, Luxio,” I teased, earning a hiss from my best pal.

“Okay. Are you two ready to go?” Paul asked.

“Just a sec!” I scanned Vulpix on the Pokédex to learn her moves, and I came up with a strategy for the battle. After discussing it with my Pokémon, I faced Suzie with a smile. "Okay, now we’re ready!"

“And we’re all set over here!”

“Alright. One-on-one match, Vulpix versus Vulpix. No time limits. Begin!”

Based on a coin toss, Suzie went first. “Vulpix use Flamethrower!”

“Counter with your Flamethrower!” Both attacks were evenly matched, leaving my Vulpix a little discouraged. “Hey! Don’t worry, Vulpix. That just means you  _ both _ are strong. No big deal.”

“Quick Attack!” Suzie’s Vulpix raced forward.

“Dodge!” With her quick reflexes, Vulpix dodged her opponent without an issue. “Now hit it with Extrasensory!” Vulpix's eyes turned gold. A rainbow-colored orb appeared above her head, which quickly fired off a beam of energy.

“Defend yourself with Flamethrower!” Our attack was deflected by another Flamethrower from Suzie’s Vulpix. “Now use Quick Attack, once more!”

“Confuse Ray!” Vulpix's eyes glowed purple. She shot four silhouettes of herself at the opponent.

Upon contact, Suzie’s Vulpix was confused. She clumsily twirled in circles.

“Damn. There’s only one way to snap out of that. Vulpix use Fire Spin on the battlefield!” As the confused fox spun around in circles, she released a powerful barrage of flames, which morphed into a fiery tornado. The fire expanded to swallow the entire field.

Vulpix cowered at the sight of the roaring inferno heading in her direction.

“Don’t let those flames scare you! Dodge it just like we talked about!” She nodded just before the flames engulfed her small frame.

The fire quickly snuffed itself out, leaving us with a scorched battlefield and smoke trails scattered amongst the dirt. Suzie grinned. “Sorry, but there’s no way your Vulpix would have dodged that in the air.”

“I never said she was in the air.”

Suzie’s Vulpix yelped when the dirt beneath her paws gave away.

“Go! Use Dig now!” Vulpix tackled the other Vulpix from underground, scoring a super-effective hit to take out her opponent in one shot. Paul called the battle and announced us as the winners, making Vulpix genuinely smile for the first time ever. “Yeah! Fantastic job, Vulpix!”

“Ah! Vulpix!” Suzie raced over to her unconscious Pokémon.

Paul also joined her side. “Is Vulpix going to be okay? That was a pretty serious Dig.”

Suzie rose to her feet with Vulpix in her arms. “Oh, she’ll be fine. I’ll make her some food to restore her energy, and she’ll be as good as new. I’m making tea, too. Would you two like to join us?”

“Sure. Thank you,” I replied.

“Perfect. If so, then Rosa, I have something to do where I could use your help.”

“What is it?”


	27. A Deal's a Deal

Suzie prepared tea and snacks for everyone. She also cooked a batch of Pokémon food just for Vulpix, and I helped out. She wanted me to learn the recipe for myself. Suzie stressed the importance of getting used to making food with specific Pokémon in mind, not just for specific types. A good method was to pay attention to the preferred flavors of each Pokémon.

Once all snacks were ready, the two of us carried all the prepared food out to the dining room table. Paul, Luxio, Eevee, and both Vulpix sat awaiting our arrival at a big table. “Here you go, guys. Dig in!” chirped Suzie.

“Thanks very much,” replied Paul.

“And this is for you.” I crouched and placed a bowl of food in front of the two Vulpix. “Go ahead. Tell me what you think.”

They both sniffed the food, plucked a piece of kibble from the pile, and gulped it down.

Their faces lit up, and they began inhaling the rest.

“They’re eating it!” I gasped in delight, particularly happy to see my Vulpix eating.

“Wow, Rosa, that’s impressive! You nailed it on the first try. Even my Vulpix seems to enjoy your cooking,” noted Suzie as we watched the two foxes bicker over the food. “And she never eats anything I didn’t prepare myself.”

“That’s no surprise. She’s the one who makes all the food.”

“Ah!” was all I could say; I was unable to properly form words with my burning cheeks, as much as I wanted to call him out on another oddly-placed compliment.

“Really?” asked Suzie. “You’re the one who prepares all the Pokémon food?”

I twiddled my thumbs. “Y-Yeah, I am. A friend helped me make my own recipe.”

“Well, I’d love to meet that friend one day. I mean, just take a look at your Luxio. He has a beautiful, shiny coat, which is a direct result of a well-maintained diet. You could probably make a great Pokémon Breeder if you wanted.”

My face burned hotter and hotter. “Oh, quit it. It’s just a few things picked up along the way. And while I’ve always pondered becoming a Pokémon Breeder, I’m aiming to become the world’s strongest Trainer. It’s just, before that, I first have to become a top-notch Breeder in order to properly raise Pokémon.”

She nodded. “That’s a good mentality, Rosa, and the best way to start learning about the ways of a Breeder is by learning how to properly feed Pokémon. You know, my career as a Pokémon Breeder also began when I first became interested in Pokémon nutrition.

“So, does that you mean you both are traveling as Pokémon Trainers?”

Paul replied, “That’s right. We both came here from Sinnoh.”

“That’s quite a journey.”

“Yeah. It’s been, uh, a little bumpy.” He turned to me.

I met his eyes and looked away with a frown.

“Well, I think it’s safe to say Vulpix is all back to normal now,” said Suzie. “She’s already looking a thousand times better than when you brought her here.”

Looking over to Vulpix, I nodded. “I’d say so.”

“Speaking of looks, Suzie, we saw a really tacky-looking place when we were walking down the street. The voice we heard was kind of annoying, but they had a line out the door so they must be popular. Are they really that good?” asked Paul.

“Oh yeah. That salon. And there were some super fancy-looking Pokémon, too. Is that really the latest fashion trend around here?” I added.

Suzie frowned. “Ever since it opened, Trainers are trying to make their Pokémon look as flashy as possible. You know, a good Breeder is always trying to bring out a Pokémon’s inner strength and personality, but this new fad is about standing out, not what’s inside.”

I folded my arms. “I don’t like it either. It’s pretty stupid to waste your time showing off something that really doesn’t matter. There are more important things to consider than a Pokémon’s appearance.”

Paul cast me a look.

I caught it and glared. “What?”

“Is that really what you think?”

My brows furrowed. “Are you really questioning me about my belief on appearances? Okay, I admit, even Pokémon like to show off and dress up a little just like the rest of us. But generally, I think the Pokémon are all perfect just the way they are. We don’t need goofy outfits and a bucket of makeup on our faces. It’s what’s on the inside that counts.”

Vulpix barked at me.

“Yeah, I’m serious. Each Pokémon is perfect because of what’s on the inside. You shouldn't ever judge a book by its cover.” I smiled and rubbed her head. “That’s why I believed in you from the very beginning of that battle. I knew you’d be strong after just one look at you. A cute exterior with inner strength. You don’t need to evolve just to prove your worth. That’s what I’ve always believed.”

Her eyes watered.

Suzie gave a deep sigh. “That’s powerful, Rosa. You know, ever since that new salon opened up, I’ve been wondering about my methods. I wonder if it’s what’s on the inside or outside that really matters in the end.”

“Don’t say things like that!” I rose from my seat. “Suzie, you’ve got to keep following the path you believe in, and help every Pokémon discover their inner beauty. I don’t care what those losers across the street say about it. We have to stick up for what’s  _ inside _ together.”

She smiled. “That’s very kind. And, you’re right. Substance over style.”

I nodded. “Exactly.”

There was a brief pause.

Paul was the one to break it: “You just love those emotional monologues, don’t you?”

I refused to respond to his trivial comment.

“Fine.” Eevee jumped up on the table, so he reached out to pet her head. “Don't talk to me.”

I whacked him over the head. “You don’t deserve it.”

Suzie laughed. “You two get along well, huh?”

We both refused to look at each other.

Suddenly, Paul whipped out his phone to check a new message.

“Oh. Nurse Joy says some of the other Pokémon are waking up.”

“Really? That’s great news!” I bowed my head to Suzie. “Sorry, but we have to go.”

She smiled and got to her feet. “Let me show you two out.”

Suzie walked us all to the front door.

“Any last advice for a beginner Breeder?” I asked with a grin.

“Hmm. Well, make sure to give each Pokémon special care and attention. Once in a while, give them a therapeutic massage, especially after a tough battle. Also, never forget that good communication between a Pokémon and its Trainer is essential. These kinds of techniques build trust and bring out a Pokémon’s personality, but of course, any technique is only as good as the Trainer or Breeder who uses it.”

I gazed at my hands. “Wow. I have a lot to remember, but thank you.”

“That’s my line. Thanks to you, I believe in what I’m doing. You helped me regain confidence.”

I rubbed my head. “It’s not hard when the person you’re helping is as great as you are.”

“Of course, I have a lot more to learn about Breeding, even if I do have a championship win. I’m still a student. It looks like you and I both have journeys ahead of us. I want you to continue your journey as a Pokémon Trainer  _ and _ Breeder. From now on, we’re rivals, and from what I’ve seen, I have some work to do or you’ll get ahead of me in no time.”

“Th-Thanks. I don’t plan to slack off. If not for myself, then for my Pokémon. I want to raise them to be the very best.” I smiled down at Luxio, who smiled back. Then, to my surprise, Vulpix leaped into my arms. She nuzzled my face, prompting a jealous look from Luxio.

“Yep. Just as I said. She’s feeling a thousand times better,” said Paul.

“I agree. I know you said Vulpix isn’t your Pokémon, but I think she wants you to raise her.”

“Y-You think so?” I held Vulpix out in front of me, and she pawed my forehead. “Is that true? Do you really wanna be my Pokémon?” She licked my face, making me tear up. “Okay. It’s a deal. You can join the team. I promise to keep taking care of you, and we’ll keep battling together. Just like we did today.”

She happily nodded.

★

We said goodbye to Suzie and her Vulpix, and then we rushed back to the Pokémon Center. Upon entering the recovery room, we stumbled upon Nurse Joy doing a final checkup on all the Pokémon. The first one to greet us was…

“Pikachu!!!”

My electric mouse saw me, cried out, and bounced into my arms.

I hugged her tight. “You’re okay! Thank goodness!”

“Not just her,” Nurse Joy laughed, pointing back at another table.

The Eevee family sat around, the two parents watching their little ones play with Chansey.

“Would you look at that? Everyone’s up and about,” Paul said as he returned the fifth Eevee to her family. She snuggled up to the parents for a brief moment before playing with her two siblings.

“That’s so great!” Luxio and Vulpix agreed with me. Then, Pikachu looked up at me and whined. “Hrm. What’s the matter?” She groaned and rubbed her cheeks as though they ached a bit.

“She mentioned it to me earlier, but Pikachu’s feeling a bit tense,” said Nurse Joy. “Her cheeks are at the center of the soreness. It’s probably from all the excitement yesterday.”

I nodded. “If it has to do with your cheeks, then it must be an electricity overload. You took a hard hit from that electrical net after all, so your body must’ve built up an excess amount of energy. Does that seem right?”

Pikachu’s ears swung back and forth as she nodded her head.

“Got it, so let me help you out. First, we have to get rid of that excess electricity.” I set her on the table and stepped backward, motioning for the others to back off. “Pikachu, hit me with your best Thunder Bolt.”

“Huh?!” gasped the rest of the room like a trained choir group.

“You crazy, Rosa?!” snapped Paul.

“Relax. Do it, Pikachu!”

She closed her eyes, raised her fists, and fired off a bolt of lightning.

I took a direct hit, clenching my teeth and digging in my heels. My skin tingled. All five senses went completely quiet. The electric current coursed through my veins and escaped through my feet. The sizzling felt incredible, far stronger than the nets used by Team Rocket, but I resisted.

It was for my Pokémon, after all.

After a bit of time passed, Pikachu cut off the attack.

I hunched over to catch my breath, a bit of steam coming off my body.

“Are you alright, Rosa?” asked Nurse Joy.

“I’m fine,” I replied, taking a deep breath and smiling over at my Pokémon. “This isn’t my first rodeo. So, Pikachu, how are you feeling? Any better?” She claimed that the soreness remained, though it had been reduced quite a bit. “Excellent. Now, lie down for me.”

She cocked her head for a moment and then flopped onto her back.

I approached the table, standing over my Pokémon. “You see, Pikachu, we met someone earlier who gave me a bit of advice: whenever a Pokémon has been injured in a battle, it should be given a massage.”

Pikachu looked back at me with a curious look.

“Just sit tight. You’ll feeling better in no time.” I raised my hands and placed the heels of my palms on Pikachu’s cheeks. Then, I gently pressed, pushed forward, retracted my arms, and repeated the motion. Pikachu smiled and closed her eyes, her tail waving back and forth like a metronome. “How’s that feel, Pikachu?” She responded with a drawn-out sigh, relaxing against the table.

Nurse Joy stepped over to us, watching my movements in awe. “Rosa, that’s absolutely incredible! How’d you know to do all that?”

“I don’t know if you know this or not, but a Pikachu’s electric sacs are located in its cheeks, and they become very tense after a difficult battle. Even more so, if a Pikachu is exposed to high amounts of electricity, then that energy builds up in their tiny bodies and becomes quite painful. So, a massage makes sense, but first we had to take care of that excess electricity.”

She eagerly nodded her head like an intern itching to learn. “Makes sense.”

As we quietly exchanged little bits of advice about caring for Pokémon, Paul stood back with all the Pokémon. He watched in amazement as I expertly cared for my Pikachu without having to think about it.

“How does she do that?” he muttered.

Sitting on the table beside him, Luxio shot Paul a glare and quietly barked.

Hearing the cat’s statement, Paul looked back over at me. I smiled. I spoke at a million miles per second. I cared for my Pokémon. It was just like normal, making Paul realize that I hadn’t acted like myself all day. His gaze softened. “You’re right. She is amazing.” He was racked with guilt upon the realization.

The tiny Eevee saw Paul’s frown, bounced onto his shoulder, and nuzzled his cheek.

When my massage finished, Pikachu sprung up onto her feet. Returning to her energetic self in an instant, she stretched multiple times, spun in circles, and bounced around multiple times.

“Feeling better?” I giggled.

Luxio and Vulpix hopped over.

“Oh, right. Wait till you hear the news. Vulpix is going to be joining us, Pikachu!”

Gasping, Pikachu turned to Vulpix for confirmation. The fox nodded her head, and the two danced around. All three baby Eevee quickly joined the excitement.

“Looks like they’re all getting along,” noted Paul as Eevee quickly returned to his arms and hugged him. The mother Eevee also warmed up to him, rubbing up against his side. The sight forced a grin onto my face.

“Sure are,” said Nurse Joy.

Meanwhile, Silver approached me.

“Ah. We finally get a chance to talk. How are you feeling?” I asked.

He smiled and wagged his tail.

“That’s great to hear.”

He responded with a bark, thanking me for helping to rescue his family.

“It was nothing. I should be thanking you for helping me to rescue the others.” Suddenly, the other two baby Eevee leaped onto my shoulders. “I’m just glad that all of you are together again.” They both smiled and hugged my head. “Ha ha, you’re welcome!”

With the energy level peaking in the room, Paul stepped over to me. “Well, it looks like everyone’s back to normal,” he says as he shoots me a look, subtly reminding me about our deal.

Holding the two Eevee in my arms, I returned his look with a firm gaze. “Slow your roll. I said when all the Pokémon are awake and in tip-top shape. Nurse Joy, what about Dratini? Is she alright?”

“Yes. Dratini’s doing much better.”

Nurse Joy pulled back the blanket on the incubator to reveal Dratini. She perked up at the attention, eyes searching the approaching crowd of people and Pokémon. Her tail lightly swayed back and forth.

I smiled at her bright eyes. “Is that true? Feeling loads better, Dratini?”

She whined and flicked her tail.

“Oh yeah. You sound way better.”

“There is one slight issue.” Nurse Joy lightly stepped towards Dratini. She responded by coiling together, hissing and threatening to use Thunder Wave, forcing the health care expert to back off.

“She’s afraid of you?” I asked.

“Ever since she woke up, she won’t allow me to get anywhere near her. Chansey has been conducting all of her check-ups.”

“Maybe she isn’t a fan of curly, pink hair,” Paul joked.

“Something you wanna say, Paul?” She and Chansey looked ready to attack him.

He cleared his throat. “Or maybe she’s not a fan of doctors. I mean, who is?” Then, he approached the serpent. “It’s fine, Dratini. Nobody here is going to hurt—” He stuck his hand out too far.

Dratini zapped him.

Paul fell down in surprise. “That hurts…”

I stifled a laugh. “Don’t get cocky just because you made friends with one Eevee.”

He scratched his head. “You give it a try if you’re so smart!”

At the spike of Paul’s voice, Dratini yelped and shot towards me. She wound herself around my legs and tightly squeezed, making me lose my balance. “Ack, Dratini?! Wah!!” I fell down.

“You okay, Rosa?” asked Nurse Joy.

“Yeah, think so.” I gazed down at Dratini still tightly wrapped around my legs. “That’s a strong grip you got there. A great use of that Wrap could even trip larger opponents. It sure hurts quite a bit.”

Luxio agreed with my comment, as did Pikachu, Vulpix, and Silver. All of the Pokémon jumped down to meet Dratini’s eye level.

Once again, Dratini got spooked by all the attention. She slithered up my side and shoved her way into my backpack. After situating herself, she poked her head out and let out a deep sigh.

“Dratini, what are you doing in there?” I asked.

“Maybe it’s warm? You did bring her here in a bag, remember?” Paul noted.

"Good point. Okay, you can stay in there until we figure out what to do with you."

“Well, I’m sorry to say, but she can’t stay here,” said Nurse Joy.

“What? Why not?” I gasped.

“Did you forget already?” said Paul. “Dratini is pretty scared of Nurse Joy.”

I slumped. “Oh yeah.”

Nurse Joy shot him a look. “Not just that. I don’t have the spare time to look after Dratini and raise it like a Pokémon Trainer. I care for hundreds of Pokémon at a time here, so raising one myself is a bit out of the question.

“Also, Dratini is in danger if she stays here.”

“Danger?!” Paul and I gasped.

“You see, Officer Jenny came by earlier to report on Team Rocket. She thinks that a lot of agents managed to escape before the police raid, meaning Dratini could become an easy target if she stays here in Celadon.”

“You’re right. Dratini is a sitting duck here in the same city she escaped from,” Paul said.

I covered Dratini’s ears. “Hey! Could you not talk so loud? Don’t scare her anymore than she already is.”

“Sorry.”

“On top of it all, Dratini’s still very young,” continued Nurse Joy. “She should be with her mother above anything else. It’d be the best thing for Dratini if she was returned to her home as soon as possible.”

“I like the idea, but we don’t have any idea where her home is,” I said.

“Actually, I found something that might help us out with that.” Nurse Joy flipped through a stack of papers attached to her clipboard. At the very bottom, she found a tiny newspaper clipping, freed it, and handed it over to us. “This is from last week’s newspaper. I came across it while the Pokémon were still sleeping.”

“What is it?” asked Paul, taking the small paper into his hands. I peeked over his shoulder at the black and white lettering.

“It’s a story about a rumored Dragonair sighting here in the Kanto region.”

“Dragonair?” I repeated, focusing on the article’s blurred image of an unknown Pokémon hovering above the forest canopy. The photographer stood too far away for any details to be visible, like any typical “strange sighting” pictures.

“It’s Dratini’s evolved form. According to this article, this person claims to have seen a Dragonair while exploring the Safari Zone. This picture is supposed to be proof, but it’s so blurry that it hardly qualifies as evidence.”

“I agree. That could just be a cloud for all we know,” replied Paul with a nod, handing the newspaper clipping to me. 

“What’s the Safari Zone?” I asked.

“It’s a special Pokémon preserve here in Kanto, near Fuchsia City. Trainers can enter to catch Pokémon that aren’t found anywhere else in the region. There’s a rumor about a lake at the center of the preserve, and Dratini are said to be found there. Unfortunately, nobody’s ever proven those rumors to be true.”

“So, you’re saying this could be where Dratini’s home is? And that Dragonair could be Dratini’s mother?” asked Paul.

At the sound of the name, Dratini’s head perked up.

Nurse Joy shook her head. “I’m not sure. It’s only a rumor after all, but it’s the only clue we have. I’m sorry if it’s not very helpful.”

“Don’t apologize, Nurse Joy. It’s still helpful. Even small, a clue is still a clue, so I’ll take my chances!” I rose to my feet and gazed at her. “If you don’t mind, I want to take Dratini to the Safari Zone.”

“Really? You’d do that? Even on just a rumor?”

“Of course! I want to help Dratini get home more than anything. We’ll have to just investigate the Safari Zone and hope for the best. Besides, the next gym is in Fuchsia City. I can get my badge and then head to the Safari Zone on the same day. It’ll be a fun adventure for sure!”

Nurse Joy gazed at me with a huge smile. “Thanks, Rosa. It makes me happy to know you’re willing to go so far for Pokémon.”

“It’s the least I can do. Pokémon are always there for me, so it’s time I do the same.” I looked over my shoulder at the blue serpent curled up in my bag. “What do you say, Dratini? Do you want to stay with me until we get you back home? You can stay in the bag the whole way there, if you want.”

The Pokémon mewled.

“Wouldn’t catching her in a Poké Ball make it easier to carry her?” questioned Paul.

“It would, but I don’t want to put Dratini through any more stressful situations. A Poké Ball would be too overwhelming for her. Fuchsia City isn’t too far, so this will be fine.” I turned to the rest of my Pokémon. “Everyone, let’s get ready to go!”

Luxio, Vulpix, and Pikachu all cheered.

“Hold on!” Nurse Joy’s shout quickly silenced our excitement. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to give all the Pokémon a final checkup just to be sure.”

“Sounds good.”

Pikachu and Vulpix returned to Nurse Joy’s side for their checkups, plus the Eevee family. I had to coax Dratini out of my bag. “It’s just for a bit. While you’re gone, I’ll organize the inside so you can rest more comfortably. Sound good?” She begrudgingly allowed Chansey to pick her up and carry her off.

Paul and I waited outside.

“Do you actually think Dratini’s home is in the Safari Zone?” asked Paul.

“I don’t know what to think. I’m not sure of anything, but I still have to try. At the very least, if I go and it’s not her home, then I’ll just keep searching.”

“It could be dangerous if anyone finds out you have Dratini.”

Scoffing, I stood up and stepped over to the vending machines. “Quit worrying about me. You should be more concerned about your upcoming battle with Erika. You only get one shot after all.”

“One shot?”

“I told you. I’m leaving right after the battle, and since Erika hates your guts, I doubt she’ll want you in her gym if I’m not around. So you better be totally prepared to win that badge.”

“Don’t worry. I have a plan.”

“Good. Then, here.” I tossed him a lemonade before sitting down. “Hydration is important before a tough battle.”

He reached out to catch the can, looking startled. “What’s this for?”

I shot him a look. “You drink it.”

“Ah! I know that, dammit!” He turned away. “But thanks.”

We sat beside each other and quietly sipped our drinks. The air between us filled with tension. Both of us had words that needed to be exchanged, but neither of us knew where to begin. We kept to ourselves, being consumed by thoughts and feelings rattling around in our minds.

Eventually, one of us had to crack.

“Listen, Rosa. There’s—”

He didn’t get very far.

Suddenly, a tiny Eevee bolted out of the recovery room doors. She jumped forward and tackled Paul with a hug, crying crocodile tears. He got startled. “Wh-What… Is something wrong, Eevee?”

Nurse Joy quickly emerged with the rest of the Pokémon.

“Sorry, Paul. She couldn’t find you and got worried,” she said.

Chansey carried Dratini over to me. I held out my bag to allow her back inside, saying with a grin, “You two are really attached to the hip. Aren't you?”

“Don’t say it like that,” replied Paul, making me snicker. He looked down at the Pokémon. “Eevee, sorry, but we’re going to be leaving now. It’s been nice getting to know you though.”

She refused to let him leave without her.

“What do you mean?” he murmured, unsure on how to proceed.

“Why don’t you catch Eevee, Paul?” suggested Nurse Joy.

“You serious?” Eevee’s tears evaporated at the idea. Paul raised an eyebrow. “But what about the rest of your family?”

Silver came over and sat at my side.

“You too?” I said in awe.

Nurse Joy said with a smile, “I think you two should catch all of them.”

We both shouted, “You think so?!” at the top of our lungs.

All five Eevee jumped for joy.

“That way they can all stay together.”

“Together, huh?” I muttered.

Paul and I exchanged uneasy looks.

“Well, what do you think?”

I gazed around at all the Eevee. There was no way I could refuse such cute faces. “I don't see a reason to say no."

Everyone rejoiced at my statement.

“Okay. So, now the next question. Who catches who?” asked Paul.

I smirked at the sight of the tiny Eevee in his arms. “Well, I know who gets to catch her.”

He nodded and then looked at the silver Eevee at my feet. “And I think we can agree who gets him.”

I eyed the other parent. “What about mom?”

She barked and approached Paul. He smiled at her. “Glad to have you, then.”

The final two Eevee bounced onto my shoulders, making me laugh. “Well, it seems everyone’s already chosen for us.” Pikachu climbed onto my head, happy to have more friends on our journey.

“I think so.” Paul let go of Eevee, who tackled Luxio with a wide smile. She was overjoyed to be in his company for a bit longer.

We promptly caught the five Eevee in Poké Balls, though Paul's tiny Eevee demanded to remain on his shoulder. I wasn't too surprised, and I constantly teased him.

"Finally found you a shoulder pal," I laughed as Nurse Joy walked us out.

"Don't start." He reached up a hand to pat Eevee’s head; his hand also kept her from affectionately tackling Luxio again.

After recalling Vulpix, I hoisted my bag onto my back. "You comfortable in there?" Dratini responded with a short whine before dozing off.

"You both take care," said Nurse Joy. “Fuchsia City is a straight shot from here if you leave Celadon from the west. You'll have to cross the bridge. It'll be probably one or two days at most."

"Thanks for all your help."

After waving goodbye, Nurse Joy went back inside.

"Of course, before Fuchsia, there's one more thing we have to take care of here," said Paul.

I nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I know."

“Next stop: the gym.” He headed off to Celadon Gym.

I sighed. “Let’s get this over with.”


	28. Never a Rose Without a Prick

I found myself once again standing before Celadon Gym. I spaced out on the walk there, so if anything happened during the stroll, I had no clue. My lips remained sealed the entire way. It was awkward and uncomfortable to be at Paul’s side, even now.

“Here we are,” I said apprehensively, staring up at the Vileplume-styled building and taking a deep breath.

“Hey.”

My head turned.

Paul stared at me. “You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.” I could clearly see the guilt in his eyes.

I shook my head. “No. I gave my word that I’d come back here. You can’t get your badge without me, right? Besides, I’m sure it won’t take very long. You’ll make quick work of Erika and her Grass-types, get your badge, and then I’ll leave. Simple and easy, and will be done within less than an hour.”

“Y...Yeah…” he admitted quietly.

Despite the uncertainty, I needed to retain a blank face so that Paul could focus solely on his battle. I psyched myself up by slapping my cheeks, and then marched towards the front doors, arms swinging at my sides. “So, come on, already!”

He hurried after me. “Just don’t forget to keep your bag sealed.”

Looking over my shoulder, I panicked when I saw the zipper open. “Ah! Pikachu, can you help?” She quickly moved to my head and, careful to avoid the sleeping Dratini’s ears, closed the zipper. “Thanks.”

“Rosa! You’re back!”

The front doors opened with a  _ whoosh _ . Erika skipped outside, hopped down the stairs, and trapped me in a bone-crushing hug.

“Hi, Erika.” I rubbed her back. “Yeah, I’m back.”

Erika slightly turned to acknowledge Paul. “Oh. You’re back, too.” Disgust oozed from her voice.

“Whatever,” he scoffed, glaring daggers back at her. “A deal’s a deal. I apologize to Rosa and bring her back here, and you give me a gym battle. I did my part. Now, accept my challenge already.”

“Not so fast. I told you I’d ask to see if you gave a genuine apology.”

He clicked his tongue.

“Genuine?” I repeated, lips parted in surprise.

Erika turned to me. “Well, did he  _ actually _ apologize?”

Considering how to respond, I glanced back at Paul.

_ If I‘m being honest, his apology skills need some work. Sure, his words might’ve been sincere, but the same could also be said about his words to me earlier. Can I trust that he’s actually sorry? Does he deserve my trust? No, not anymore. It’s extremely hard to trust him now. When I’m around him now, it feels like a knife is being driven into my heart. The thought of being anywhere near him is just too painful. _

_ But, even still, I don’t want Paul to lose his only chance at a Rainbow Badge. I can suck it up for just a little bit longer. Which means there’s only one thing to do here. Only one thing to tell Erika. _

Taking a breath, I forced a wide smile onto my face. “Yeah, he apologized. He feels pretty bad about everything and says he’ll make it up to me somehow. But before that, his first priority is getting his next gym badge. So please, will you give him a gym battle now? I really want to see you two duke it out.”

After a moment, Erika’s expression softened. “Alright, but only because you asked me so nicely. Paul can have his battle.”

“Yay! Thank you!”

“But,” she continued, “don’t think I’ll make it easy for him.”

Her tone made me anxious, but I nodded anyway. “I can’t imagine he planned on that.”

“Excellent!” she chirped and then turned back to her gym. “Then, let’s get started.” We followed her inside.

After being greeted by a flock of her Gym Trainers, Erika led the way to her greenhouse battlefield. I took my seat on a set of bleachers, sitting beside several girls I recognized from my gym battle and also the perfume shop.

“Are you liking the perfume you got from the store?” asked Anna, the girl with the green pigtails.

“I sure am! Thank you again,” I replied with a smile. “How’d you get it to smell so nice?”

“Well, all of our perfumes are made with the help of grass Pokémon,” explained a girl sitting behind me with curly, brown hair. “They’re more in tune with nature than people so we work together with them to create our products. The one you bought was made by a Vileplume.”

“Really! That’s incredible!”

“Right? And what’s even better? If you have a Grass-type of your own, you could create a line of perfume, too!”

“Well, I don’t have any grass Pokémon yet, but that could change. I’ll keep it in mind, so thanks uh… Sorry. I just realized I never got your name.”

She held out her hand. “I’m Maddie. It’s nice to meet you, Rosa. I can see why Erika’s been talking about you so much.”

My cheeks heated up as I shook her hand. “Jeez. You’re making me sound like a celebrity.” Turning back to face the battlefield, I glanced at the black and blue cat sitting at my feet. “Maddie, huh? I don’t know why, but I’ve always liked that name.”

He agreed with a flick of his tail.

Eevee agreed with Luxio, and tried leaping out of my lap to tackle him. I tightened my grip on her small body. “Come on, Eevee. You can hug him later. Right now, you should be watching Paul and cheering him on. Okay?”

She pouted and situated herself in my lap.

Luxio sighed in relief while Pikachu teased him.

After speaking for a moment, Paul and Erika took their spots on opposite ends of the field. Their glares fixated on one another like a pair of rivals, both of whom brimmed with confidence.

“Here’s to a good battle, Paul, as long as you’re prepared to be beat!” called Erika.

He smirked. “Are you?”

“You can do it, Erika!” shouted one of the girls in the crowd.

“Show that little prick the power of perfume!”

I grimaced. “No mercy for Paul, huh?”

Eevee tapped my leg, wondering what Pokémon would be used by Paul.

“I’m not sure. Paul has quite a variety of Pokémon that can handle Grass-types. The question is which three will he choose. I’m more curious as to whether Erika will use the same three Pokémon as the ones in my battle.”

She asked if that’s an actual possibility.

I nodded. “Gym Leaders typically have multiple Pokémon on hand to choose from depending on the skill level of the challenging Trainer. However, Erika seems like the type to only use a single set.

“On the other hand, looks can be deceiving. She might have a trick up her sleeve just to test Paul’s skills. She seems pretty determined to put him through the wringer.”

Luxio barked, realizing that this will be the first gym battle of Paul’s that we’ve watched.

My mouth fell open. “Yeah. Good point, Luxio.” With that in mind, I gazed over at Paul, feeling just a teensy bit excited. “So, I guess we get to see what Paul’s like in a real battle.”

Livvi, the Gym Trainer with blue hair, stepped over to the referee’s block, once again the judge for the match. “The gym battle between the challenger, Paul, and the Gym Leader, Erika, will now begin!” she stated loudly. “Both Trainers will use three Pokémon each. The battle will be over when all Pokémon on either side are unable to continue. Furthermore, only the challenger is allowed to make substitutions during the battle. Are we clear?”

“Crystal!” Erika and Paul both replied, still glaring daggers at each other.

Livvi threw her arms forward. “Begin!”

Erika kissed her Poké Ball and sent it forward. “You’re up first! Do your best!” A huge, bell-shaped Pokémon emerged and screeched.

“A Victreebel?” I gasped, expecting Erika to use its pre-evolved form.

However, Paul seemed unfazed and quickly made his choice. “Beedrill, standby!”

Seeing Beedrill on the battlefield caused the tiniest smirk to appear on my face. “That’s a really good choice. He can resist any attack Victreebel uses being both a Bug-type and Poison-Type.”

Erika mocked Paul for his choice. “Of course, an important rule for all Trainers is that just because you might have a type advantage doesn’t mean you’re going to win!”

“Trust me, Erika,” Paul called back. “I plan on winning.”

She gestured. “Then please, after you!”

“Don’t mind if I do! Beedrill use Pin Missile!” Beedrill's stingers glowed white and shot multiple small, white needles at Victreebel.

“Counter with Razor Leaf!” From the large leaves on the sides of its body, Victreebel launched a barrage of razor-sharp leaves. The colliding attacks canceled each other out. “Now use Sleep Powder!” Victreebel quickly released a cloud of blue spores over Beedrill’s head, leaving him without any room to avoid the attack.

“Ack!” Paul watched in frustration as Beedrill slumped on the ground. “Hey, nap time was yesterday! Get up!”

“Perfect! Razor Leaf, again!” Victreebel fired.

“Whatever. It’s not like we didn’t plan for this. Beedrill use Sleep Talk!” Even while sound asleep, Beedrill pulled his stingers up to his head, spun his body like a drill, and launched forward at a terrifying speed.

“Nice Drill Run,” I muttered.

“Stop it with Vine Whip!” Victreebel used two vines to catch Beedrill midair and stop the oncoming attack. “Now throw it into the ground!” With a mighty heave, Victreebel slammed the bee Pokémon into the dirt, leaving a small crater in the battlefield.

“Can you still continue, Beedrill?” Blinking awake, he nodded and lifted off the dirt. “It’s time to counter.”

Thinking Beedrill was still dazed from Vine Whip, Erika took an opportunity to attack while the momentum still lingered on her side. “Quick! Giga Drain!” Victreebel fired a dark green energy beam from its gaping mouth.

“Dodge it!” Beedrill darted out of the attack’s trajectory.

“We’ve got to slow Beedrill down. Sweet Scent!” Victreebel released a pink mist from the top of its head.

My nose caught a whiff of the fragrance. “Wow, that’s a nice smell,” I cooed.

Pikachu, Luxio, and Eevee all agreed with me.

Back on the field, Victreebel followed up Sweet Scent with another Razor Leaf.

“Dodge it!” Paul yelled as the leaves sped towards his Pokémon. Beedrill looked back at him with a dozy look on his face. “Stop admiring the smell!” The Razor Leaf hit the bee and forced him back. Snapping out of his trance, he gave a good shake of his head.

“Hit them with a close-range Razor Leaf!” Victreebel charged forward, throwing leaves as it got closer and closer to Beedrill.

“Defend yourself with Twineedle!” Beedrill surged forward. After nimbly avoiding waves of leaves, he stabbed Victreebel twice with his pincers and forced the Pokémon backward.

“Get up, Victreebel!” Victreebel strained in a desperate attempt to return to its feet, but managed in order to not let its Trainer down. “Great work! Respond with Leaf Blade!” Making its leaves glow green, Victreebel charged.

“Twineedle again!” Both Pokémon clashed at the center of the field with great force, kicking up dirt behind them. They exchanged heavy hits like a pair of professional heavyweight boxers, and Beedrill eventually overpowered Victreebel, knocking it off its feet again. “Now move in close so we can finish this!”

While still on the ground, Erika desperately called, “Defend yourself with Vine Whip!” It quickly launched two green vines.

“Don’t give them a chance! Aerial Ace!” The bee quickly looped to avoid the vines. Then, his body glowed white. He shot forward and slammed into his opponent before it or Erika could even react.

Victreebel screeched in pain and collapsed.

“Victreebel is unable to battle! Beedrill is the winner!” announced Livvi.

“You did very well, Victreebel. Have a good rest,” Erika said softly as she withdrew her first Pokémon. “I think I underestimated you, Paul. Teaching your Beedrill to use Aerial Ace caught me completely off-guard. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say I was impressed.”

“I’m flattered,” he sarcastically replied.

“Don’t be. It just means I won’t hold anything back. Go!” She threw out a second Poké Bal. A mass of tangled vines and red feet appeared before Beedrill.

“So, it’s Tangela once again,” I commented, curious to see if Tangela’s battle style would remain the same as during my match with Erika.

“Tangela use Stun Spore!” Tangela released a cloud of spores.

“Blow the attack away with Drill Run!” Beedrill spun like a drill and charged into the paralyzing cloud. Unfortunately, his speed greatly reduced upon doing so. Paul clenched his teeth. “Crap, he got affected by Stun Spore anyway!”

“Giga Drain!” Tangela fired multiple glowing-green vines at Beedrill. The vines wrapped around his body and began draining his energy. When the attack finished, Tangela released Beedrill by slamming him into the ground.

Now, Beedrill suffered from both Stun Spore and Giga Drain. “You good to keep battling?” asked Paul. The Pokémon nodded and lifted off the dirt once more. “Then, let’s get this done with Aerial Ace!” Despite Beedrill’s will to keep going, his fatigue began to show, evidenced by his major decrease in speed.

“Intercept with Constrict!” Tangela easily caught Beedrill in midair and went to launch him into the ground.

Paul decided to recall him just before that could happen. “Return, Beedrill!” With a flash of red, Beedrill disappeared. “Take this chance to rest in case I need you later. Though I hardly think the battle will last that long.”

“That was a good move,” said one of the Gym Trainers beside me. “There was no way his Beedrill could have beaten Tangela with that paralysis in effect.”

My eyes drifted back to Paul as he retrieved his next Poké Ball. “I wonder who he’ll use.”

“I’m counting on you!” he roared. An orange puppy materialized in front of him.

“Growlithe?!” My eyes popped out of their sockets.

“Surprised?” asked Paul with a smirk. “Officer Jenny gave him to me.”

“What the… How?”

“I was expecting you to come with at least one fire-type,” grinned Erika.

“Why wouldn’t I? This is a Grass-type Gym after all. Now, Growlithe, this is our first battle! Stay strong and make sure your attacks are up to snuff, and you’ll be just fine!” The dog barked loudly.

“Don’t let your guard down, Tangela. Constrict!”

“Agility!” Growlithe sped off, easily dodging Tangela’s vines. Then, he ran circles around the opposing Pokémon, making it dizzy. “Flamethrower!” While Tangela struggled to keep its bearings, Growlithe opened its mouth and launched a stream of red-hot flames.

“Dodge and use Giga Drain!” Tangela rolled to one side to avoid the scorching heat and then fired Giga Drain, sapping away some of Growlithe’s energy to keep itself healthy for the battle.

“That won’t work for long! Flame Wheel!” Still within the tight grip of Tangela’s glowing vines, Growlithe jumped into the air and released a red-orange flame from his mouth while somersaulting. Tangela was unable to run away due to its trapped vines, allowing Growlithe to slam into it for a devastating blow.

“Tangela!” Erika gasped in horror after both Pokémon split from each other. Her Tangela had scorch marks up and down its body.

“Take Down!” commanded Paul.

“Giga Drain!” Tangela straightened up and attacked.

“Dodge and then Flamethrower!” Growlithe leapt high over the vines and fired another jet of flames at point-blank range, blasting Tangela back towards its trainer. It cried weakly as it landed.

“Tangela is unable to battle! Growlithe is the winner!”

“Excellent, Growlithe!” The puppy barked and returned to his side of the field.

As Erika recalled her Tangela, I listened to the chatter amongst the Gym Trainers behind me:

“Wow! Paul is doing pretty good!”

“He might actually win!”

“Yeah! He’s a lot more impressive than he looks!”

The girls all began to acknowledge Paul’s skill, provoking me to smile with reassurance. “He is pretty impressive, huh?” I muttered under my breath, resting my cheek on one hand. When I caught Luxio’s smirk, I scowled. “D-Don’t get any ideas! I’m still mad at him.” He and Pikachu laughed.

“You think he might actually win?” Anna whispered to Maddie.

“Of course not. Erika’s third Pokémon will destroy him,” the brunette replied.

“Who do you think she’ll pick? Gloom? Vileplume? Exeggutor?”

“Maybe she has an Ivysaur,” I whispered to my Pokémon, who considered the possibility.

“Well, I never thought we’d get here, but here’s my final Pokémon, Paul!” Erika revealed her third and final Poké Ball. “But this battle isn’t over yet, so make sure you bring your A-game!”

Paul looked ready for anything. “It’s already here!”

He was panting, sweating. Adrenaline pumped through his body. He looked excited, and above all, determined. There was now only one Pokémon between him and his gym badge. The thought of him winning and the sight of him enjoying his battle made me smile.

“You’re up!” Erika sent her Poké Ball forward. When the white light faded, a green creature stood before the Gym Leader with two red flowers on its head and leaves around its waist resembling a skirt.

“What the hell is that?!” I gasped in shock.

Paul used his Pokédex to study the new Pokémon. “ _ Bellossom the Flower Pokémon, and the evolved form of Gloom. In addition to Vileplume, Bellossom is also the final evolved form of Oddish. When these Pokémon move, their delicate petals rub together, creating a pleasant sound. They are also known for their unique acrobatic dancing abilities. _ ”

“Gloom has a second evolution?” muttered a bewildered Paul.

“Correct,” smiled Erika, thoroughly enjoying the surprised looks throughout the room.

“When did she get a Bellossom?”

“Was it during her trip to Johto last week?”

“Oh, he’s toast now.”

My grip on my seat tightened.

_ Come on, Paul. Who cares if she’s got a trump card? You can beat that shrimp. _

“We’ll just have to end this fight quickly. Growlithe use Flame Wheel!” Growlithe flew forward in a ball of fire.

“Dodge it!” Just like the Pokédex stated, Bellossom performed a somersault like a trained acrobat, leaping high over Growlithe’s head without breaking a sweat. It landed a good distance away from its opponent. “Now, Bellossom use Sunny Day!”

Two white orbs appeared on the ends of Bellossom's arms, and it released the two orbs up into the sky. They combined as one, strengthening the sunlight piercing through the gym’s glass ceiling.

“Sunny Day? But won’t that make Fire-type attacks stronger?” I questioned.

Acknowledging my statement, Paul kept his eyes fixed on his opponents. “You planning to lose?” he growled.

“I don’t know. Am I?”

Baring his teeth, Paul shouted, “Growlithe use Flamethrower!” The Pokémon launched a power-packed Flamethrower.

Erika’s smirk grew wider and wider. “Dodge!” Bellossom stepped out of the attack’s path, easily avoiding the flames thanks to its suddenly doubled speed. The Pokémon looked like a green blur as it dashed in circles around its opponent. “Stun Spore!” Bellossom released a cloud of orange spores.

“Flamethrower again!” Growlithe howled, shooting an orange flame in Bellossom’s direction, incinerating the spores and continuing on towards the Grass-type.

“Dodge and then Acid!” Bellossom darted around Growlithe’s Flamethrower and fired a spray of acid from its mouth.

Growlithe yelped in pain and struggled to shake the acid off his fur. “Be strong and resist it!” Despite being drenched, the dog retained his battle stance. “Now use Flamethrower once more!” Growlithe fired a jet of flames.

“Dodge it and use Acid again!” Bellossom nodded and somersaulted to one side to avoid the fire.

“It’s so fast!” Paul gasped as the flower Pokémon fired another spray of acid.

Growlithe cried out after being hit by more stuff. “You alright, Growlithe?” He brushed his face with one paw and shook all the acid off before giving his trainer a nod. “Okay! We’ll try to keep our distance, so Flamethrower!”

The same exchange went on for a bit.

“At least it doesn’t seem to be doing much damage,” I murmured to myself, frowning as I watched Growlithe struggle to land a hit on the speedy Bellossom. “But that doesn’t mean anything if he can’t even hit it.”

Pikachu barked at me, wondering about what Paul should do to get through this.

“I suppose he could maneuver Bellossom into a position where it’s easy for Growlithe to get a hit. He just needs to close the gap between both Pokémon. However, that would make it easier for Bellossom to land hits as well.”

“Use Stun Spore!” Bellossom attacked.

With each passing second, Paul got more frustrated, which led to desperation. “We have no choice but to get close. Use Flame Wheel!” Growlithe rushed forward and somersaulted into a ball of fire, mowing down the spore cloud. He then charged at Bellossom.

Unfortunately, Erika predicted the desperate move. “Jump up!” With a twirl, Bellossom leaped high above Growlithe’s head. “Solar Beam!” Bellossom absorbed sunlight, making the flowers on its head glow yellow. A large ball of light formed, and with it, the Pokémon released a powerful beam of energy.

Paul watched Growlithe take Solar Beam at point-blank range and fly into the wall behind them; the impact caused a massive explosion. When the smoke cleared, Growlithe was sprawled out on the ground.

“Growlithe is unable to battle! Bellossom is the winner!”

Everyone was speechless, especially Paul.

Erika was not. “Did you really think I wouldn’t be prepared for a Fire-type Pokémon?”

Paul returned Growlithe without a word, then faced the battlefield.

“I never thought you’d be  _ that _ prepared.”

She shrugged. “Looks can be deceiving, I guess.”

“That was an incredible Solar Beam!” exclaimed one of the spectators.

“Bellossom sure is strong,” said another. “I want to evolve my Gloom into one.”

Eevee gave me a worried look and pawed my arm. “It’s alright,” I said. “Paul still has two Pokémon left.” When I glanced at him, his brow scrunched together. He was deep in thought about who to use next.

_ If he can just slow Bellossom down even a little, and put an end to that Acid... _

Another second passed before Paul selected his next choice.

“Beedrill standby!”

“Try not to take it easy on us this time, okay, Paul?”

He growled. “Pin Missile!” Beedrill quickly shot off his first attack.

“Petal Dance, Bellossom!” The Pokémon twirled and released a spiral of pink petals from the flowers on its head. The two attacks collided to cancel each other out. “Stun Spore!”

“Aerial Ace, quickly!” Beedrill launched towards Bellossom, going too fast for the Stun Spore to affect him. He slammed straight into the opponent and knocked it backward. “Follow it up with Twineedle!”

“Get away with Petal Dance!” Bellossom used Petal Dance for two reasons: to blow Beedrill away and to propel itself high into the air. “Now use Synthesis!” Bellossom glowed bright green, using the bright sunlight to regain its energy. “Stun Spore, again!”

“Speed-reducing tactics? Two can play at that game. String Shot!” Beedrill released streams of sticky string from its mouth at Bellossom.

“Dodge!” It skillfully avoided the speed-reducing attack. Instead, the string fluttered to the ground and covered the field directly beneath their feet. “Solar Beam while it's close!” Bellossom charged up and fired.

Having gotten too close, Beedrill was unable to dodge. He took a powerful hit and fell to the ground unconscious.

“Beedrill is unable to continue! Bellossom is the winner!”

Paul recalled Beedrill. Then, suddenly, he was down to his last Pokémon.

But as he said earlier, he wasn’t about to lose.

“Here’s my last Pokémon! Make everything count, Nidorino!” A four-legged, purple creature emerged from the Poké Ball. It roared out at Bellossom and pawed the ground very aggressively.

“Nidoran evolved?” I said.

I had Dex look it up. “ _ Nidorino the Poison Pin Pokémon, and the evolved form of the male Nidoran. An aggressive Pokémon that is quick to attack, it raises its big ears to check its surroundings. It stabs enemies with its horn, which oozes a powerful poison upon impact. _ ”

Paul looked to his Pokémon. “Alright, focus on keeping your speed and attack power at peak level, and we’ll have that badge. Got it?”

Nidorino howled again, ready to give everything to take down Bellossom.

“You’re just a master of these type matchups, aren’t you?” said Erika.

“Well, I don’t plan on losing! Poison Sting, go!”

“Just the same as last time, I see. Petal Dance!” Bellossom stepped forward to fire off another round of Petal Dance. However, the layers of the sticky web at its feet slowed the attack down just enough to be overpowered by Poison Sting. The flower Pokémon got tossed off balance. “Huh?”

“Did you really forget about String Shot already? Nidorino use Horn Attack!” Nidorino charged forward with his horn pointed at the opponent.

“Dodge it!” As Nidorino repeatedly jabbed with his horn, Bellossom dodged the attacks using a series of hops and flips. She then used Nidorino’s head like a springboard to launch herself into the air and get to a safe distance. “Solar Beam!”

“Deflect it with Drill Run!” Nidorino spun his entire body. The Solar Beam collided with his horn, which directed the energy away from the Pokémon’s body. “Perfect! Nice moves! That reduced the damage a lot!”

Growling, Erika gestured to her Pokémon. “Slow it down with Stun Spore!”

“It can’t hit you underground. Dig!” Nidorino quickly burrowed into the dirt, making Stun Spore completely ineffective. “Come up with Drill Run!”

Just as Nidorino reappeared, Erika shouted, “Solar Beam!”

Bellossom fired its attack, which met Nidorino’s Drill Run and had the same results as before.

“Don’t give up. It’s still taking damage. Solar Beam, once more!” Bellossom had enough power to fire a second Solar Beam right after the first. This time, it landed a direct hit thanks to Nidorino getting too close.

Backing to a safe distance, Nidorino tripped on its own foot and stumbled. “Just a little longer, Nidorino! You can handle it!” Nidorino started to show signs of fatigue, but just like his Trainer, he refused to give up.

“We’ve backed them into a corner. Finish it with one more Solar Beam!”

Just as Bellossom began charging for another—possibly final—Solar Beam, the charging of power slowed down significantly. It caught everyone by surprise.

Erika was stunned. “What happened? Why aren’t you firing already?”

“The Sunny Day!” I gasped, looking up at the glass ceiling. The intensity of the sunlight had decreased. “It’s all gone!”

“Perfect!” laughed Paul.

“Quick, Bellossom! Sunny Day!”

“Not a chance! Poison Jab, go!” Nidorino kicked off the ground with a horn glowing purple. Without the boosted speed, Bellossom had no hopes of avoiding the attack or firing off another Sunny Day. Nidorino jammed his poisonous horn into Bellossom, finally scoring a super-effective hit.

Bellossom cried in pain as it was hit and blasted backward, landing on its back.

“Bellossom is unable to battle! Nidorino is the winner!” Livvi raised her left arm. “All of the Gym Leader’s Pokémon are unable to battle, so the match goes to the challenger, Paul!”

“Yeah!” roared both Paul and his victorious Pokémon. “That was excellent, Nidorino.”

“He won?!” I gasped. Eevee sprung out of my arms and raced over to her Trainer. “He really did it!” Pikachu quickly followed the brown fox, also extremely excited that Paul won the match, though I think she forgot about our circumstances. “Hey, get back here, traitor!” I reluctantly followed.

Paul crouched to rub his Nidorino’s head; ther other arm held Eevee against his chest. “It looks like those matches against Team Rocket really worked wonders, huh?” The Pokémon nodded.

“Matches against Team Rocket?” I repeated as Luxio and I approached.

“Yeah. When we went to look for you the other night, we ran into some Team Rocket thugs. Nidoran helped me fight them off, and in the midst of all the chaos, he evolved. He was a pretty big help, though it’s a stretch to call those guys strong.”

I slightly nodded. “No kidding. Well, congrats on evolving, Nidorino, and a good job in that fight, too. That was really exciting to watch.”

He grinned at me.

“Were you really that into the battle?” asked Paul, raising an eyebrow.

I crossed my arms and turned my gaze. “I mean, don’t you remember? I told you that we’d stay to watch the full thing. And, though I’m still upset with you, I have no issue praising your Pokémon.”

His shoulders slumped. “Gee, thanks.”

“But, for what it’s worth...”

He gazed at me.

“...Nice battling, Paul.”

Shielding his eyes with his bangs, he gave a weak nod. “Th...Thanks.”

“Congrats, Paul.” Erika smiled at us both as she approached. “That was some battling. I was half-kidding when I said I underestimated you, but not anymore. You really surprised me out there. You have a lot more empathy with your Pokémon than I first thought.”

“It’s not empathy. It’s just lots of intense training,” he replied with a huff.

Erika gave a sigh. “Just take the compliment. Oh, and take this, too.” She extended her hand, a Rainbow Badge resting in her palm. “You earned it. Fair and square.”

“Thank you very much.” Paul bowed his head slightly before taking the badge.

“Well, I say you earned it fair and square, but I suppose if it wasn’t for this one,” she grabbed me by the shoulders, “you wouldn’t have had the chance in the first place. If you want to thank anyone, thank her.”

“D-Don’t make this about me, dammit,” I hissed with a red face and broke away from her grip. After all, my earlier praise over Paul’s victory didn’t mean I was no longer upset with him. I know he knew that.

Erika saw the two of us out the door.

“So, I guess you guys will be on your way then.”

“Yeah. That next badge is waiting for us.”

“Then, take care. And Rosa, let me know if you need any advice on Grass-types.”

“Well, if I ever catch one, I’ll be sure to call you up.”

“Sounds good. Okay. Good luck on your journey!”

With a wave, Erika went back inside the Gym.

Once again, it was just the two of us: myself and Paul. There was Luxio, Pikachu, and Eevee too, eyes flickering between the two of us. We remained silent, not saying a word to each other, not even looking at each other, as we made it back to the street.

I looked up and down the road, figuring out which way to go. “Well, a deal’s a deal. You got your badge, so I’ll be heading out now. Good luck with everything—”

“Wait!”

His hand caught my wrist.

“I…” He paused.

A shaky breath escaped me. “I know you apologized, but if I’ve learned anything, it’s that you never lie, Paul. Everything you said about me is what you think about me, even if it’s a little bit. And, I’d rather not be around someone if I’m just going to cause them trouble.”

“Who said anything about causing trouble? And that’s not what I think of you at all! I—”

“Just who do you think you’re kidding?!” He clammed up the moment I put my intense glare on him. “So, if you’re going to say anything, better make it quick. Because I’m tempted to ignore it all.”

“I just… I just wanted to apologize, properly this time.” He bowed his head. “I take back what I said before. What I said about you, they’re not bad things. Not at all.”

I blinked rapidly.

“Rosa, when you set your mind on something, you stop seeing everything else around you. It’s weird to watch sometimes, but once you make a decision, you never back down. I’m sure you’ll become a great Trainer. And, I want to be there to back you up.

“I know I hurt you, and again, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry that I completely betrayed your trust.”

“It-It’s okay. Really. You already apologized anyway…”

“It is not okay! I hurt you. I… I hurt someone important to me.”

My breath hitched.

“I don’t think I’ll ever be able to apologize enough, so instead, I want the chance to make it up to you. I’m  _ going _ to make it up to you!”

“Are you saying that you want to go to Fuchsia City with me?”

“Yes! I want to go with you!” He locked eyes with mine. “To the next gym. To the Safari Zone. To get Dratini back to her home. Even… Maybe even longer than that! You’re my friend, and friends stay together, right? I know I sound super pathetic right now, but it’s the truth. Please!”

His eyes filled with a mix of emotions.

I felt that same range of emotions deep within my core.

I still felt hurt. My trust in him had been nearly destroyed. This whole time, I thought it’d be better to keep my distance from Paul. It’s why I hesitated to return to the gym with him, and it’s why I’m hesitating to respond now.

_ But, if I did keep my distance, if I did leave him… _ My gaze fell to Eevee, who made fast friends with Pikachu and Luxio.  _ Not to mention her family. They’d all be split apart if I left. I couldn’t live with myself if I did that. _

My lips pressed together. It was a struggle to find what words to say.

Paul’s eyes scanned my face looking for any nonverbal cues.

Finally, after an eternity of mulling over my conflicted feelings, I decided on a course of action. My mouth moved on its own. “Well, Paul,” I said, pausing to take a breath. “I suppose you’re only at strike one.”

His eyes widened, the relief clear as day on his face.

I held out my hand. “So, second chance it is.”

With a smile, he shook my hand.

After stopping by the Pokémon Center to heal Paul’s Pokémon, we consulted a map for the path out of Celadon City. Onto Route 16. Onto Fuchsia City, and the Safari Zone. Onto seeing how Paul’s second chance would play out.

And as reluctant as I still felt about my decision, I smiled a little.

_ I just have to accept that Paul has a temperamental side, but that’s nothing new. It still doesn’t change the fact that I care about him. After all, he’s my first real friend out here, and I don’t want to lose that connection. _

We didn’t say much to each other the rest of the night. We walked until we could no longer see Celadon City on the horizon, and then we set up camp in the woods somewhere. I didn’t say goodnight to Paul, nor did he. The silence remained, making it rather easy to relax into a peaceful slumber.

But, as I dozed off in my sleeping bag, I heard a gentle voice:

“Thank you, Rosa.”

My mouth curved upward against the pillow.


	29. Rulers of the Road

The next morning, Paul and I trudged through a dense forest. Luxio sauntered behind me, while Pikachu and Eevee perched on our heads. Paul walked at my side, grumpy that I took control of navigation for our group.

“So, where are we headed now?” he asked for the millionth time.

“I’m  _ not _ giving this map back to you,” I hissed. “And be patient. We’re almost there.”

“Where is ‘there’?”

After breaking through the treeline, we came upon a cluster of small buildings sitting at the foot of a suspension bridge. This magnificent example of modern-day architecture stretched out to a piece of land sitting on the horizon.

I pointed. “There.”

“Look at the size of that bridge!” gasped Paul and Eevee, stepping forward with wide eyes and dropped jaws.

“That’s the Cycling Road,” I explained as we stepped into town. “And it looks like they’ve finished up construction. That means we can go straight to Sunny Town on the opposite shore without going all the way around.”

"Seems reasonable. Wait, cycling? We don't even have bikes, though."

“I know that. I never said we would be biking, just walking.”

We hurried over to the Cycling Road’s northern toll booth only for the officer on-duty to turn us away. “My apologies, kids, but you can’t cross this bridge without a bike,” he said with an apologetic frown.

My jaw dropped in disbelief. “Why can't we just walk across it?”

“This bridge is over twenty kilometers long. It’d be dark before you reached the other side. Not to mention it looks like a storm’s coming in.” He gestured to the sky, where grey storm clouds slowly accumulated above our heads. “You’ll get drenched and catch a cold.”

I nodded. “Fair enough. Well, is there a place nearby to get bikes?”

“Sure is. There’s a bike shop near the Pokémon Center that sells 'em. You can’t miss the bicycles in the window. Tell the workers that Norman sent you. They’ll give you a nice discount just for saying hi to me.”

“Thanks so much!” I spun around to face Paul. “So, that’s settled. Let’s rent some bikes, cross that bridge, and get to the next town. Come on!” I walked back into town with my Pokémon.

“Wait.” Paul hurried after us. “You sure we shouldn’t just take the long way? After all, bikes can get pretty expensive, even with a discount.”

I glanced back over my shoulder. “But Paul, you really want to walk the long way around? It’ll take us a day or two to get to Sunny Town, but if we bike across the bridge, we’ll be there within an hour. How can you turn that down?”

He made a face. “Well, I suppose when you put it that way…”

“Great! Then, let’s get going!” I marched off with a spring in my step. "Once we reach Sunny Town, it's just a straight shot along Route 18 to Fuchsia. Smooth sailing all the way there, and who could resist an easy bike ride above the sea?"

At the sound of “sea,” Dratini poked her head out of my bag.

“Hey. Dratini’s awake,” announced Paul.

I grinned at the Pokémon. “Well, good morning, sunshine. How’d you sleep?”

She happily waved her ears back and forth.

“I guess you heard we’ll be crossing that big bridge. See?” I gestured behind us, and Dratini stared at the water as though it called to her like a Disney princess. “Don’t worry. We’ll be crossing soon. We just have to get a couple bikes. Make sure to stay inside the bag until then, okay?”

She whined and retreated into my bag. Pikachu closed the zipper.

“You still think it’s a good idea to carry Dratini like that?” asked Paul. “What if someone sees her?”

“I’m being careful. I’m only letting her out when nobody’s around, and it’s not like she moves around a lot. As we witnessed yesterday, she prefers to sleep most of the time.”

“True, but still. Dratini is rare. All kinds of creeps would come after you if they knew you had her.”

I scoffed and faced forward. “Don’t sound like you care. Just so you know, I’m still mad at you.”

“I know,” he quietly replied as I sped up.

It had started to pour by the time we reached the bike shop. I pulled up the hood of my jacket to keep the rain off my head, my shoes quickly acquiring a layer of mud. We splashed in puddles all the way there.

“Here it is!” I cheered, admiring the shop’s wide variety of bikes for sale. Luxio and Pikachu also smiled at the selection. “Isn’t it exciting?! The sea breeze in our faces! A lovely smooth surface to cycle down! A magnificent view of the ocean the entire way! We might even see ships passing underneath! Oh, I can’t wait to zip across the bridge on one of these!”

Luxio agreed with my sentiments, while Pikachu sounded much more hesitant.

“Trust me, Pikachu. It’ll be fine even with the storm. You’ll see.”

“So, how are we doing this?” asked Paul as he and Eevee came up beside us.

I tilted my head and looked back at him. “What do you mean? We just rent a couple of bikes. One for me. One for you. Preferably ones with baskets so a few shoulder pals have a place to sit.”

Pikachu and Eevee wagged their tails.

“What about Luxio?”

Luxio and I gazed at each other. “Hrm. I’ll have to get a bike with a seat on the back. I’ll figure something out. Don’t worry. It’s a problem we’ve faced before. Isn’t that right?” My Pokémon jumped for joy.

"Well, if you’re going to get a bike with an extra seat, we could always just share one."

I made a face.

"It would be cheaper," he continued. “You can hold Luxio while I pedal, or if you prefer, vice versa. How about it?”

Considering the two options, I frowned. "Sorry, but I'll take the more luxurious option."

His brows knitted together. "What? Something wrong with sharing a bike with me?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact." My gaze turned serious. "You may not have realized it, but as of right now, I don't trust you, Paul."

His mouth snapped shut.

Dratini suddenly poked her head out of my bag again.

“Ah! Dratini, you can’t keep doing that. I promise we’ll be hitting the road soon.”

She mewled before Pikachu helped her retract into the bag.

"So, gang, let’s suck it up and pay for two bikes. Ooh, I can hardly wait! Let’s go!” I skipped up the stairs to the shop, leaving Luxio and Eevee to silently stare at Paul’s guilt-ridden face.

When Pikachu and I stepped through the door, a lovely chime pleased our ears. We found a magnificent display of bikes lined in neat rows all throughout the shop. There were small bikes, big bikes, kid bikes, adult bikes, red bikes, blue bikes, and bikes with baskets.

“So many bikes!”

Pikachu hopped off my head and over to a yellow bike. I quickly followed her, grinning at her choice. "Of course, you'd pick that one. That's certainly a bright  _ electric _ yellow, huh?" She nodded her head.

"Hi there." A young boy approached us with sandy blond hair swept to one side and both hands loosely stuffed into his apron pockets. "My name’s Justin. Can I help you find anything?"

"Yes, actually. Oh, and hi. My name’s Rosa." When I turned to face him directly, his face flashed various shades of red. "I’m here to buy a couple of bikes, please."

“You..." he paused for a moment to clear his throat, and gave a warm smile. "...sorry. I must’ve caught something. You must be trying to cross the Cycling Road, aren't you? Not a great day to do it if I’m being honest. I’d recommend waiting out the storm."

“Well, normally I’d agree with you, but we have no choice but to cross the bridge right now. You see, we're trying to reach Fuchsia City as fast as possible to get our next gym badges and, well, some other business." I flashed a toothy smile. “Also, the Cycling Road looks like a great ride.”

After a moment, he grinned back. “It sure is. A nice downhill course right on the water. I consider it one of Kanto’s best tourist spots myself. I can’t get enough of the sea. That’s why I moved out here.”

“I agree. My hometown is by the water, too. I’m practically best friends with the sea.”

Once again, the second I said the word “sea,” Dratini threw her head out of my bag.

“Hey! What’d I say, Dratini?” I whispered. Pikachu frantically shoved her back inside.

“Whoa! You have a Dratini?” asked Justin. “That’s a super rare Pokémon.”

_ Crap! _

Unable to deny it, I sheepishly rubbed my head. “Uh, yeah. I just caught her. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone you saw her though. There’s a lot of creeps in the world who’d love to get their hands on a rare Pokémon like her.”

He replied by making a sealed-lips gesture. “I promise I’m not a snitch, Rosa.”

I found comfort in his words. “Thanks.”

"Well, to change the subject from the Pokémon I  _ didn’t _ see, let’s talk about getting you a bike and getting you over to Sunny Town as quickly as possible. You're in luck. We've got bikes upon bikes for you to pick from, all of which are perfect for tackling the Cycling Road when you’re in a rush."

“That’s awesome! Hear that, Pikachu? We'll be getting two bikes and barreling down to Fuchsia in no time.”

Justin turned his head. "Two bikes? Is there someone else with you?"

I sighed at the fact that Paul had not entered the store yet. “Yeah. My friend’s just outside. He’ll be in soon enough, I’m sure. I can’t imagine he’d want me to pick a bike for him.”

"Oh. Well then, why don't we go ahead and pick out a bike for you, and your friend can pick one whenever he decides to join us?"

“Sounds like a plan.”

"Okay, just give me a second. I'll be right back." Justin moved away from the counter for a brief moment.

Once he stepped out of sight, I smirked at Pikachu. “How do you think Paul would look riding a pink bike?” She stifled a laugh.

Suddenly, a hand swatted the back of my head.

“I happen to not mind pink, thank you very much.”

While rubbing the sore spot with one hand, I snarled at him. “Ow! What was that for?”

“For making a stupid assumption like that.”

"What? Don’t tell me it’s your favorite color."

"I mean, it's not my favorite, but I don't hate it either." Then, he glared at me and lowered his voice to a measly whisper. “It was also for letting another person see Dratini. You said you’d be careful.”

“How was I supposed to know Dratini would pop out like that?”

“You know, this could be avoided if you’d just catch her in a Poké Ball.”

I shook my head. “No way. I’m not gonna put her through that. She thinks it’s comfortable in my bag, so that’s where she’ll stay until we get to Fuchsia City. I will not say another word about it.”

“Ah!” Justin had returned to the counter with a handful of keys to unlock the bikes being bound to the walls and floors. “I take it this is your friend, Rosa?”

“You two know each other?” asked Paul.

“We just met. And yes. Paul, this is Justin. Justin, Paul.”

The two locked eyes. Paul glared, while Justin kept his smile and friendly brown eyes trained on the purple-haired boy. I stood in between them, awkwardly caught in the middle of the tension building between them.

“Don’t scare him,” I hissed to Paul.

“It’s alright,” said Justin, sneering in Paul’s direction. “No doubt that’s just his face.”

Paul snapped. “What?!”

“Hey, cool it, Paul!” I used all my strength to keep him from pouncing. “He’s just joking!”

Justin put his hands together. “Sorry, sorry. It really was a joke. Honest. I’m terrible with people.”

With the half-assed apology, Paul’s anger quickly fizzled out.

Once out of harm’s way, Justin turned to me. “Okay. Now onto the fun part. Go ahead and pick out a bike. They’re all the same price, as long as you’re not considering a fancy motorcycle.”

A giggle escaped my lips. “Now, I know that was a joke. Me, on a motorcycle? That’s funny. Come on, Paul!” I tugged on his arm to forcefully break his eye contact with Justin.

We left Justin for a moment to explore the vast bike collection. Pikachu preferred the yellow one, but it didn’t have a basket. Luxio wanted a blue one. Eevee wanted a black one. We expected her to pick a brown one, but then I remembered that Luxio’s fur was predominantly black.

“You really are a fan of him, aren’t you?” I said as I nudged Luxio with my leg, who glared back at me with a blush.

Eevee eagerly nodded.

“I’ll tell you who I’m not a fan of,” grumbled Paul, looking over his shoulder every two seconds.

“Will you quit it? Justin’s a great guy. What about him do you not like?”

“All of him.” He took a quick breath to calm down. “I’m sorry, but I don’t get a good feeling when I look at him. It’s like a sinking feeling. I can’t explain it. I don’t trust him for a second.”

“Well, I do. Now, pick a bike!”

He huffed. “If it gets me out of this shop faster, fine.” He and Eevee selected a blue basket bike suspended from the ceiling. Luxio, Pikachu, and I agreed on a red basket bike with white stripes, and an extra seat.

Justin helped us free the bikes from their bindings, and then rang us up for the purchase.

“Norman’s discount… Then the payment… And you guys are all set!”

“Yay! Time to hit the Cycling Road!” I cheered, anxious to get pedaling.

“But warning. It’s a long ride. Make sure to take a break. There’s a bypass in the middle of the bridge with picnic benches and vending machines. Hydration is key even in weather like this.”

“I agree. Thanks.” I glanced over to Paul and elbowed his side.

He growled before bowing his head. “Yeah, thanks.”

“No problem,” replied the blond boy before grinning at me. “See you again, Rosa. Ride safely.”

“Thank you! We will!” I called back with a wave, before throwing on my hood and exiting the store.

★

The rain that had been present still poured down on our heads. Paul and I mounted our bikes, situated our Pokémon, and pedaled to the toll gate. Norman greeted us briefly, warning about the slippery conditions and high winds. I assured him that we’d make it to the other side without a scratch.

The moment we moved past the toll gate...

“Woohoo!”

My bike glided down the pavement. Pikachu sat in the basket, enjoying the wind rustling her fur. Luxio stood on the extra seat behind me, his claws sinking into the metal to keep himself from flying off.

“This never gets old, does it?!” Luxio agreed from his perch behind me. “Make sure you’re hanging on tight, okay? Hurry up, Paul!”

“Try slowing down instead! Not all of us are Olympic bikers like you, apparently!” Paul rode up beside us, a shivering Eevee tucked into his jacket. “Not everyone is a fan of this. How are you not cold?!”

“There’s too much adrenaline pumping through my veins!” I called back, squinting a little as the rain lashed at my face. “Back in Sunyshore, we got vicious rainstorms all the time! This is nothing but a gentle breeze!” Luxio barked in agreement. He and Pikachu thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Dratini poked her head out of the bag to get a feel of the cool breeze.

“Is this what you were waiting for, Dratini? Well, get your fill!” I threw one arm in the air to feel the rain dribble against my fingers. Dratini, Pikachu, and Luxio cheered with me, all four of us having the time of our lives.

On the other hand, Paul and Eevee hated it. Paul struggled to keep up with me, making it rather annoying to slow down every few minutes for him, and making it clear that Eevee had gotten her dislike for bike riding from her Trainer. They both shivered against the feeling of the cold, wet rain against their arms and legs, and the rush of wind against their faces. Eevee despised it so much that she retreated into her Poké Ball all by herself.

“Sorry, Eevee. We’ll be out of this soon,” groaned Paul.

“Not if you don’t hurry up!” I called.

“Hey, not all of us can resist the cold as well as you can!”

“Quit whining. You’re wearing a jacket, aren’t you? And watch where you’re—” I watched Paul’s bike shudder before toppling over, throwing the rider. “—going.” With a quick u-turn, I rushed back to his side.

Paul struggled to his feet. “Dammit. Stupid wind made me lose balance.”

“Try not to focus on it too much. That’s when it’ll knock you over.”

“Shut up. I know what I’m doing.” He straightened out the bike and attempted to mount it again.

I made a deduction upon witnessing his clumsy movements. “Hey, Paul. Were you so against getting a bike because you don’t know how to ride one?”

That struck a nerve.

“Hah? I know how to ride one just fine! Look!” Paul kicked off the ground. After pedaling for just a few seconds, he threw his foot against the pavement to prevent himself from falling again. Once stopped, he went dead silent.

I rode up beside him, no chance of hiding my smirk. “Well, knowing how to ride a bike and being good at it are two different things.”

“Shut up! I was just never into biking, alright. They’re pretty expensive so I never bothered to buy one, and I preferred walking anyway. Something wrong with that?” It was obvious that I had hit a sore spot.

“No, not really. It’s just a little unexpected. You seem to know the basics, but you’re just lost after that. Did you try to learn at all?”

“Well, Reggie taught me originally, but it didn’t take long before I thought it was such a stupid activity. I mean, I never considered needing to know how to ride a bike. I like walking everywhere. It’s how I got around Veilstone City all these years. Honestly, it’s not as big of a city as everyone thinks.”

“Hmm.”

Paul tried moving his bike only to wobble uncontrollably. “How the hell are you supposed to balance on this damn thing? Damn, this is stupid. It would probably be better to just go back and take the long way around. We can probably sell the bikes or—”

“No way!” I barked. “You don’t get to chicken out of this, no matter how pathetic or funny your situation looks. You’re riding all the way to the other side on that thing whether you like to or not.”

“Hey, don’t tell me what to do!”

“The hell I will!” He jumped back at my ferocity. “Here. Just copy me, and you’ll be pedaling like a pro. The balance part will come naturally. I promise.”

He scoffed. “Copy you? I’m not that pathetic.”

I shot him a look. “Really?”

Paul quickly turned his embarrassed face out of sight.

“That’s what I thought.” I shuffled my feet to move my bike beside him. “Now, the most important thing to riding a bike is form. It’s simple. Square your shoulders, straighten your arms and your back, and face forward.”

He reluctantly nodded and copied my movements.

“Good. And whatever you do, don’t stop pedaling.” I reached my arm around him.

“What are you…?”

“GO!” I pushed on the middle of his back, sending him forward.

“You—”

“Quit talking or you’ll bite your tongue! Now, pedal!”

His knuckles went white as he gripped the handlebars and pedaled at a steady pace. He still had trouble keeping balance, but at least he was already biking way better than earlier.

I quickly caught up to him. “Good. Keep your feet moving. Pikachu will help you with your balance.”

“How will she do that?”

“Go, Pikachu. Just like we talked about.” She hopped onto the middle of his handlebars, perfectly centering herself in front of Paul. “Your goal: don’t let Pikachu tilt too much to one side. If she isn’t struggling to remain upright, then you know you’re balanced enough.”

“But then I’ll be constantly correcting myself.”

“It’s either that or constantly falling.”

It took him a few tries before he finally got the hang of it. Paul managed to remain balanced enough for Pikachu to comfortably climb onto his shoulder. “Wow, I can’t believe that worked. Thanks for your help.”

She smiled at him before returning to her basket.

I scowled. “What about thanks for your sensei, huh?”

He smirked and looked up ahead. “Let’s see how far you can get me,  _ sensei _ .”

“Is that so? Fine. Let’s see who can reach the bypass first!” I increased my speed tenfold, sailing right past Paul and down the pavement. Though Paul proved to be a bit of a challenge after catching his second wind, I won the race in the end.

The bypass was a small section of concrete at the bridge’s middle. Grass patches divided up the walkways, and dotted amongst them were park benches, lampposts, vending machines, and trash cans.

Paul dropped his bike on the ground and stumbled over to the cheapest vending machine, sweating bullets. He trembled as he pressed buttons and retrieved several water bottles.

“What a workout,” he panted in between large gulps.

Sitting on a park bench, I filled a large bowl using one of the bottles and gave it to my two Electric-types. “Thanks for the water, Paul,” I said with a grin, kicking my feet back and forth like a child as the rain pelted my face.

“What are you thanking me for? Loser buys drinks. We both agreed.”

“Only because I knew I’d win.”

He threw his jacket onto the bench and plopped down on top of it. “You suck.”

“Call it payback, and get used to it because I won’t be easing up anytime soon.”

“Payback for what?”

Frowning, I paid him a small glance.

He choked. “O-Oh, right. Okay, that’s fair. I was an ass, after all, and you deserve to vent in your own way, I suppose. But, I promised that I’d make it up to you. Slowly, but I will.”

“I believe you. That’s the only way you can earn my trust back, so until then, I’ll be messing with you until you beg for mercy twice.”

Paul laughed. “I’ve never begged for mercy in my life.”

“Twice.”

He met my eyes. “Deal.”

Suddenly, a particularly strong gust of wind blew through us. My hair got thrown into the air, and goosebumps ran up my arms as the temperature of the rain decreased. Without the adrenaline rush, it was actually pretty cold.

“Man, it really is cold,” I chattered.

“And you told me to quit whining?”

I slapped him. “Well, are we all hydrated and ready to keep pedaling?”

“Sounds good. I can’t wait to get off this bridge and out of this storm.”

“Don’t be such a,” I swung my shoe into a puddle and splashed him, “buzzkill! You’re doing fine. Besides, we’re halfway there.”

After moving several feet away to avoid more water attacks, Paul gazed back the way we came. “It’s amazing that we’ve already gone that far. I never thought I’d bike this much in my life.”

“I bet Reggie would be at a loss for words,” I teased.

“Well, you can tell him all about it when we reach Sunny Town,” he said in an irritated tone before throwing his hood over his head. “Now, let’s go.”

My hand punched the air. “That’s the spirit!”

“Hey! Give that back!”

At the cry, we both turned our heads. Wearing studded, leather outfits and wild hairstyles, three rough-looking men stood before a young girl with pigtails. She and her Squirtle struggled to retrieve the pink bike dangling over their heads.

“Aw. The little girl wants her bike back,” laughed a skinny man with a ridiculous mohawk ruined by the wind and rain.

“Did your mommy give it to you? How sweet,” added the man with a well-groomed mullet and ripped jeans, leaning back against his motorcycle as he and Mohawk kept the pink bike above the girl’s head.

The third man stood behind both of the other bikers, watching the unfolding scene silently with narrowed eyes, arms crossed, and a bald head that was shiny enough to reflect sunlight off it—if there was any, but the clouds blocked it all at the moment.

“What the hell?” I growled, and without hesitation, marched over to them.

“What are you doing?” asked Paul. It was a waste of time trying to stop me.

“I want my bike back already. I have to get to Celadon City before this storm gets any worse, so give it back!” whined the little girl.

“Oh, you can have it, after I dump the bike into the ocean.” The mohawk guy held the bike up over the railing, threatening to let go and watch it sink into the choppy waters beneath the bridge. “Squirtle can go and retrieve it, right? It’s a Water-type, after all.”

“No! He can’t swim against waves that big! Now, give my bike back, you meanie!” She threw her foot straight into the man’s shin.

“Ow!” Mohawk hopped around on one foot, clenching his teeth in pain. “Little brat! I’ll teach you what happens when you don’t listen—”

“Hey!” I approached them with a stern glare. “Knock it off. What kind of lowlife punks mess with a kid twenty years younger than them?”

Chuckling, the bald man stepped towards us. “You better watch your tone when you’re speaking to your elders, little girl. Didn’t your parents ever teach you any manners?” his deep voice croaked.

“Sorry. I don’t respect a guy whose head looks like a cue ball.”

Everyone snickered, including his underlings.

“Hmph. You wanna be smart? Fine.” He turned back to the others, quickly ending their fit of laughter. “Throw it over the bars. Let’s see how well it floats.” On command, Mohawk pulled his arms back and sent the bicycle flying.

“No!”

“Ivysaur!”

Materializing from his Poké Ball, Ivysaur moved his vines quickly enough to catch the bike before it plummeted too far out of anyone’s reach. Then, he and Paul hauled it back onto flat ground. The little girl rushed over and clutched the bike for dear life.

“Thank you guys!” she cried.

“It’s no problem,” said Paul, patting her head. “My name’s Paul, by the way.”

With rain covering her face, she smiled back. “I’m Lostelle.”

“That’s a cute Squirtle you’ve got, Lostelle,” I said, making Squirtle blush. With them happy and the bike secured, I turned back to the thugs. “You must be really bored to go and bother a young Trainer like this. Probably scared the crap out of her with the way you look. Who the hell do you think you are, anyway?”

“You must not be from around here,” replied the bald man. “Allow us to introduce ourselves. My name’s Dwayne, the leader of our little gang.”

“The name’s Harris,” introduced Mohawk.

The mullet guy also spoke. “And I’m Zeke.”

“We’re the Kanto Rider Federation!” announced Dwayne, turning his back to reveal a scary Gyarados print on his jacket alongside the letters “KRF”. Harris had a picture of an Arbok, and Zeke wore a Rhydon.

“So, you’re a group of street thugs.”

As he turned to look at me once again, Dwayne’s eyebrow furrowed. “You see, this bridge is our hangout. You can call it a biker’s paradise. We enjoy nothing more than riding our motorcycles through the howling winds and coming across fellow bike enthusiasts.”

“Oh, so you’re bullies, not thugs? What’s the difference?”

“Look. Why don’t you kids just keep on biking that way? We’ve got some unfinished business with that one,” grumbled Harris, gesturing to the little girl behind Paul. “We’ve very nicely asked this girl here for her Pokémon, and we’re not leaving without it.”

At his words, Lostelle ran over and tugged on my shirt. “They’re wrong! They’re not nice at all! They tried to take away my Shellder, but I returned him to his Poké Ball just in time. Now, I’m worried they’ll try to take Squirtle.”

I patted her shoulder. “Nobody’s taking anyone away from you. Just stay with Paul. I’ll handle them.”

“You’ll handle us?!”


	30. A Gutsy Move

All at once, the three bikers exploded with laughter. Tears gushed from their eyes. Harris and Zeke rolled around on the sidewalk, howling and slamming their fists into the ground. Even the composed Dwayne held back a few hearty chuckles like an old man reading comic strips in the morning paper.

“What’s so funny?”

“You really think you can defeat us?” asked Zeke. “You’re nothing but a little girl yourself? It’s impossible to take down three tough men when you and your Pokémon are just shrimps.”

My blood pressure spiked. “What the hell does it matter if I’m a girl? I can still beat every single one of you! Don’t underestimate me!” Their continued laughter made my blood boil. I clenched my teeth in frustration. “Fine. Actions speak louder than words anyway. You won’t be smiling like that when I wipe the floor with you!”

“Alright, sweetheart, if you insist that much…” Harris threw a Poké Ball. A slimy, purple ball of sludge growled at us and waved around two sludge arms.

I covered my nose. “What’s that smell? It smells worse than a Gloom.”

The Pokémon barked at me for the insult.

Dex scanned the unknown Pokémon. “ _ Grimer the Sludge Pokémon. Grimer emerged from the sludge on a polluted seabed that was exposed to X-rays from the moon. This Pokémon loves anything filthy. It constantly leaks a horribly germ-infested fluid from all over its body. _ ”

“Hmm. A Poison-type? I can handle that.” I reached for a Poké Ball.

“Be careful, miss!” Lostelle said to me with huge, watery eyes. “That Pokémon looks scary.”

“It’ll be fine.” Paul tapped her shoulder and motioned for them both to step back. “I’ve seen Rosa take on bigger challenges. This match won’t be very long.”

I faced forward, unable to hide the growing smirk on my face. “No, it won’t.”

“Still wanna fight, little mouse?” asked Harris as his Grimer roared once again.

Upon hearing the pet name, something inside me snapped like a toothpick. “Go, Cubone!” I called out my Cubone for his first official battle ever. “Cubone, remember what we talked about during this morning’s training, and show these bastards what for!” He roared and brandished his club.

“Sure got a cute Pokémon there, but sorry. It’s toast. Grimer use Sludge Bomb!” Grimer fired a ball of sludge at Cubone.

“Dodge!” Cubone effortlessly jumped out of the way. “Leer!” He glared at his opponent, eyes glowing red from underneath his skull-helmet. Grimer shriveled up in fear from the intimidating gaze.

“Don’t let it scare you. Sludge Bomb, again!” Grimer attacked.

“Pathetic. Bone Club!” After dodging Grimer’s second attempt at Sludge Bomb, Cubone smacked it on the head with his club, knocking the Sludge Pokémon unconscious immediately upon impact.

“What the?!” cried Harris.

“Excellent job, Cubone! Your first win!” He emitted a victory cry and twirled his club in the air.

Harris quickly recalled his Pokémon, staring over at me with wide eyes. “She’s a lot stronger than she looks!”

I shrugged. “And you’re a lot weaker than you look. Can’t judge a book by its cover, I guess. So, you wanna keep fighting?”

Growling, Zeke switched places with his comrade. “You just got lucky, brat.”

“While we’re talking, why are you trying to take this girl’s Pokémon? Not willing to seek out and capture a Shellder for yourself, huh? I’m sure if you got on your knees and begged, the professor might be willing to give you a Squirtle.”

“You don’t need to know—”

“We were tipped off,” answered Dwayne, silencing Zeke with a quick glare. “One of our buddies just happened to call us about half an hour ago. He warned us of a girl with a Pokémon in her possession that we could capture and sell on the black market.”

“Black market? Like Pokémon Hunters?”

“Well, not officially, but we couldn’t turn down the chance at some quick cash. Bike repairs get expensive, you know.”

“I wouldn’t know because motorcycles are stupid and so are you!”

“Shut your trap!” Zeke pushed past his boss and then chucked a Poké Ball. A giant rock with arms, legs, and a reptilian head appeared before us. It roared, but I wasn’t really intimidated. I couldn’t move past its funny appearance.

Dex scanned this new Pokémon as well. “ _ Golem the Megaton Pokémon. This is the final evolved form of Geodude. Its boulder-like body is extremely hard. It can easily withstand dynamite blasts without a single scratch, but it hates rain and humidity. _ ”

Considering the current weather, I smirked. “Good to know. Cubone, return!”

Zeke laughed. “Finally getting scared?”

“On the contrary, you should be scared. Go, Wartortle!” Wartortle emerged ready for a fight, feeling energized as rain poured all around him. “That’s right, Wartortle. Get ready to reduce that thing to pebbles!”

“Golem use Rollout!” Golem tucked itself into its rocky shell and barreled straight toward my turtle.

“Meet it head-on with Rapid Spin!” Wartortle tucked into his shell and launched himself at his opponent.

The Pokémon crashed into each other and strained to overpower one another, but it was clear that they were an even match when it came to brute strength. That’s where their types—and the rain—would come into play.

“Switch right into Bubble Beam, Wartortle!” Stopping his own spin cycle, Wartortle revealed his head, opened his mouth, and fired a stream of bubbles at Golem. Unable to dodge the point-blank range attack, it took some major damage and rolled back in front of his Trainer. I was impressed it still had the strength to get back up. “Wow. Not a bad Pokémon you got there,  _ sir _ .”

Zeke’s glare intensified. “Don’t be so condescending and respect your elders.”

“Don’t make me laugh. Respect isn’t given. It’s earned! Aqua Tail!” Wartortle got close to Golem quickly and slammed his water-enveloped tail straight into Golem’s head. The attack scored us a clean knockout. Wartortle landed back in front of me, spinning and striking a pose while balancing on his tail. “I’ll respect you if you win, got it?”

“Don’t waste your time,” Paul laughed. “Respect will never be given to bastards who harass a little girl over  _ her _ Pokémon. If you want one that badly, go and catch it yourselves! Nothing more pathetic than someone that lazy.”

“Yeah!” agreed Lostelle, still hiding behind Paul.

Zeke shrugged his shoulders. “Hey. It’s much easier to steal a Pokémon than taking the time to find and catch one. When we got that tip about a girl crossing the bridge with a valuable Pokémon in her possession, we just couldn’t resist.”

“Valuable Pokémon?” Paul repeated, unaware of my sudden heart failure. “You mean her Shellder?”

“Nah. You can get those everywhere,” replied Harris. “And they don’t sell for much.”

“So then, Squirtle?”

“Well, I got my Squirtle from Professor Oak!” Lostelle quickly chimed in. “If you want one so bad, go ask him for one!”

“Thanks for the advice, sweetheart, but nah,” replied Harris. “It wasn’t that lousy piece of crap either. You can get a million of those if you just find the sandy beaches they like to make their homes on. No. This Pokémon is a rare one, like, super rare.”

My breath hitched.

To my horror, I felt the bag twitch against my back.

“You know something, guys?” Dwayne stared at me, and after a moment, his eyes narrowed. I strained to keep my breathing steady. “The little brat isn’t the one with the rare Pokémon.” He pointed straight at me. “It’s her.”

My palms got sweaty. “What are you talking about? I don’t have anything like that.”

“The Pokémon in your bag. It’s a Dratini, right?”

I scoffed. “You couldn’t be more wrong. There’s nothing that rare in my possession. Most people go their entire lives without seeing one. What makes you think I got so lucky?”

“This.” Dwayne retrieved his phone, pressed a few buttons, and held the device out with the speaker-setting enabled.

A recording played for everyone to hear:

“ _ Hey, get this. There’s a Trainer heading your way across the bridge, and she’s traveling with a Dratini. I bet you could make some easy money if you snatched it, but you gotta be quick. She seems like a real pain if you get on her bad side—Oh! Gotta go. Let me know how it goes.” _

The call ended, leaving me with a pale face.

“What’s a Dratini?” Lostelle whispered to Paul.

He didn’t respond, all eyes fixated on me and the rather perceptive street thugs.

Dwayne continued. “We thought it was this little one here that had the Pokémon, but then I realized that a girl this young could never handle that kind of Pokémon. She wouldn’t even know what to do with it. You, on the other hand, seem like just the type.”

The voice from the recording played over and over in my head. “Was that…?” My heart beat faster and faster.

“That was the guy from the bike shop!” announced Paul. “That bastard sold you out.”

“No.” I shook my head in disbelief. “No. He wouldn’t. He promised. Justin promised to keep it a secret.”

“Yeah. He says that a lot,” Dwayne laughed. “But promises are cheap. Rare Pokémon are not. So he took up a position at the bike shop to scope out easy prey attempting to cross the bridge. That’s when we swoop in, beat down the Trainers, and take the Pokémon we want.”

I refused to believe it. “No.”

“Rosa, it’s true. You know it,” said Paul.

I was stubborn, as is anyone in denial. “No way. I mean, when did he make that call?”

“Didn’t he leave for a moment to grab something from the back?!”

My mouth fell open. “He left to make the call. He…” I covered my mouth in horror after realizing that my negligence caused all of this to happen. “I can’t believe it. You were right. You were absolutely right, Paul, and I didn’t listen. I let someone see Dratini, a complete stranger. God, I’m a moron..”

“Hey! You’re stupid. I’m stupid. Who the hell cares?” he quickly hissed. “Look. I don’t plan on telling you ‘I told you so’ because there’s no need for that crap. All that matters is keeping Dratini safe, right?”

“That bastard.” I stared at my hands. “I can’t believe it…”

_ Paul was right about him. Paul was totally right, and I brushed aside his suspicions like it was nothing. I’m pathetic. I put all my trust in the wrong person, and look what happened. This little girl got scared. We’re in danger ourselves if we don’t keep our guard up. _

“Where’s all that bravado, huh, little mouse?” I twitched in anger upon registering the sickening nickname. “Why don’t you just let us take Dratini? We’ll be on our way and you can pass on to wherever the hell you’re going. We could care less.”

Baring his teeth, Paul kept his attention on me. “Come on, Rosa. Didn’t you promise to return Dratini to her home? That bastard back there obviously can’t keep a promise, but I know you can. So keep it!”

“Sorry, but we’ll have to cut the pep talk short.” Dwayne stepped forward and held out two Poké Balls. “It's too late for that. We plan on taking Dratini, and any other Pokémon while we’re at it. Where there’s one rare Pokémon, there’s always more.”

Harris and Zeke prepared to back up their boss.

Paul raised his voice. “We won’t let you just steal our Pokémon. Now, get lost.”

“Aw. Get lost? He’s threatening us,” cackled Harris.

“No,” I flatly said, glaring daggers and baring my fangs. “He’s right. Get lost, or prepare for a fight. If you think I’ll just let you walk away with any Pokémon, you’re dead wrong, you no-good crooks. I promised to see this Dratini home, and that’s what I plan to do. So, get out of my way!”

Dwayne clearly had enough of my resistance. “Fine. We’ll force it from you.” He threw both of his Poké Balls.

The first Pokémon was a bigger version of Grimer. This Pokémon roared loud enough to shake the ground beneath my feet, and the smell was a lot worse. I made a note to apologize to all Grimer for what I said about their smell.

But it wasn’t Muk that froze me in place.

The second Pokémon was a creepy, purple creature with pointy ears, a wide grin, and sharp, red eyes.

Dex scanned it without me asking, and I wish it hadn’t. “ _ Gengar the Shadow Pokémon, and the evolved form of Haunter. Gengar is the final evolved form of Gastly. Gengar hides in the shadows. If one is nearby, it is said to feel ten degrees colder than normal. _ ”

The color drained from my face, and despite the pouring rain, I could confirm the sudden drop in temperature. My fingers and toes went numb. My heart stopped beating, and I forgot how to breathe.

I was scared.

I was scared shitless.

I was  _ terrified. _

“Well, ready to fight? Hope you don’t mind being outnumbered.”

I could barely keep myself from shaking, my eyes glued to Gengar. “Lux… Luxio, I need you in this battle. You and… Uh…” My train of thought had left the station. Images flashed across my mind. One by one, they chipped away at the strength keeping my legs from wobbling like a newborn calf. That left no energy to resist going into shock though.

“Who do I… What do I…” I could barely speak.

But, above anything else, even as my worst fears consumed me, I understood my one goal: protect Dratini. In order to protect her, this Ghost Pokémon needed to be defeated, and this last match had to be won.

_ What did I do back in Pokémon Tower? _ I thought.  _ It was the last time I got scared of ghosts, but I overcame my fear then. _

The reality: I overcame it because I wasn’t alone.

_ I overcame it because of... _

“Two on one isn’t really fair, you know.”

Turning my head, I found Paul standing at my side.

“So, why don’t we even the score? Eevee, standby!” He tossed a Poké Ball and called out his shoulder pal, who happily stretched her legs—and then dramatically whined about the pouring rain.

“Paul?”

He looked over at me, lowering his voice to keep the others from hearing. “I won’t let you fight that thing by yourself.”

I wanted to cry.

Paul glanced back at Lostelle. “Pikachu, keep her company, okay? Electrocute anyone who gets near.”

Pikachu saluted him.

_ He’s willing to help? _

My heart skipped a beat.

_ Right. Of course, he is. He’s always helping me, even when I don’t recognize it. He warned me about Justin, and I ignored him. I may not trust him fully, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to trust him. _

_ I need to remember that. _

I took a deep breath and straightened myself out. “Right! Luxio, you heard him! Let’s do this, for Dratini’s sake!” He barked and jumped out to stand at Eevee’s side. “You two work together, and we’ll be sending these creeps packing for good.”

They both nodded at us and at each other.

“It’ll just be double doses of defeat now. Go Muk! Screech attack, now!”

Muk emitted an ear-splitting scream, distorting the air around it.

Luxio and Eevee covered their ears in pain.

“Quick, Luxio use Shock Wave!” Clenching his teeth, Luxio growled, glowed in a blue light, and fired off bolts of blue electricity.

“Defend with Mud-Slap!” Muk slapped the ground with its arms, causing a wave of mud to shoot up in front of itself and Gengar. The mud collided with the electricity to prevent both Pokémon from taking any damage.

“Ah, crap!” I cursed.

“Gengar use Shadow Ball!” Gengar opened its mouth, formed a ball of black and purple energy, and fired it at us.

“Dodge!” Luxio and Eevee easily jumped out of the way.

“Two can play at that game. Shadow Ball!” Eevee opened her mouth.

“Sucker Punch!” Gengar suddenly flew at Eevee and punched her just before she had any chance to fire off her attack.

Eevee landed in front of us. “You alright?!” She nodded and rose to her feet.

“Luxio use Spark while Gengar’s so close!” Luxio enveloped himself in blue electricity, sprinted forward, and slammed into his Ghost-type opponent at full force. Gengar appeared to have taken some damage.

However, our opponent had anticipated the attack.

“Grab Luxio!” Gengar smirked before using its arms to lock Luxio in place.

I panicked at the Pokémon’s devilish smirk. “Shock Wave while you’re connected!”

“Mean Look!”

Unfortunately, Gengar moved a lot quicker. With eyes glowing red, a ghostly aura surrounded it. The aura then extended and surrounded Luxio, making him freeze up in complete fear.

“Luxio, snap out of it!” He couldn’t hear me, remaining frozen in place like a statue.

“Muk use Gunk Shot!” Muk put its hands together and formed a black ball of energy outlined in purple, which the Pokémon then hurled at Luxio. Being frozen in place, he was unable to dodge. The ball of sludge exploded on impact, sending pieces of glowing purple sludge—and Luxio—flying.

“Ah, Luxio! You okay?!” He replied with a low growl and stood up.

“Eevee use Quick Attack on Muk!” Eevee charged toward Muk at lightning speed.

“Muk use Minimize!” To our surprise, Muk glowed a purple color and shrunk down to miniature size, allowing Eevee to fly right past it. “Now use Brick Break!” When Muk returned to its normal size, it threw its arm straight into Eevee’s stomach and sent her flying after delivering tons of super-effective damage.

“Way to show ‘em, boss!” cheered Harris.

Zeke chuckled and said, “We’ll have that Dratini in no time!”

“Yes, we will,” grinned Dwayne before all three laughed like maniacal villains.

“Shut up, you meanies! Rosa, Paul, you can do it!” Lostelle and Pikachu both cheered for us.

Both of our Pokémon stood before us, clearly exhausted from all the heavy hits they’ve taken so far. Paul clenched his teeth and glared over at our opponents. “This is bad. He may be a thug, but he’s a decent battler. Probably why he’s their leader.”

“The problem is we’re not working together,” I whispered to him. “Our combined separate efforts just aren’t good enough. We have to coordinate our attacks and our Pokemon just like he is.”

“Like he is?”

“Yeah. His strategy seems to be a lot of bait and switch. You know, distractions? It’s a common element for double battles. Why don’t we try that?”

“You sure?”

“I am. If we break up their combinations, we’ll win. So, you okay if I take the lead?”

After a second, Paul nodded. “No complaints here.”

“Good. Then, get Eevee to draw one of them out.”

“Eevee use Quick Attack on Gengar!” Eevee raced forward.

All three bikers laughed at the desperate move.

“I know they’re going to lose, but that’s just sad,” said Harris.

“Well, it was a nice show anyway. Sucker Punch!” Gengar charged at Eevee.

“Double Team!” Glowing white, Eevee stopped right in front of Gengar and created multiple copies of herself that circled around the Ghost-type.

Dwayne was caught off-guard. “Huh? What’s that move?”

“I’m surprised you haven’t seen it considering your decent battle sense. Luxio use Spark!” Coming down from above, Luxio crashed into Gengar and sent it hurtling back toward its Trainer. “Yay! Great hit!”

“What the?! Swat the punk away with Mud-Slap!” Muk waved its arms and fired.

“Swift!” Eevee flipped over Luxio’s head, wagged her tail, and sent a barrage of stars that deflected the Mud-Slap attack. “Follow up with Shadow Ball on Gengar!” She launched a Shadow Ball that caused further damage to Gengar and knocked it off its feet.

“Gengar use Mean Look!” Even in the air, Gengar responded to its Trainer’s call. It locked its sights on Eevee, and glowing with that same scary aura, managed to lock her in place without being anywhere near her.

“Uh oh!”

“Eevee, snap out of it!” She couldn’t move.

“Gunk Shot!” Muk fired its attack at the sitting duck.

“Protect, Luxio!” Luxio barely managed to jump in front of Eevee and turn on his Protect shield. However, the green barrier was overpowered by Muk’s sheer attack power. The attack plowed through and landed a direct hit to Luxio; he had protected Eevee, but at a cost.

Luxio landed on the ground in front of me, struggling to breathe as bubbles of purple poison came off his body.

“Luxio’s been poisoned!” gasped Paul.

“You can still get up, right, Luxio? I know you can!” Luxio opened his eyes and rose to his feet once more. When he did, his eyes glowed red, and he roared loudly as a red aura surrounded him. “Luxio?”

“We better end this quickly. Muk use Gunk Shot once more!”

“Luxio use Spark again!” Luxio shrouded himself in a massive amount of blue electricity, plowed straight through the Gunk Shot, and smashed into Muk, sending it flying back. The impressive boost in power caused jaws to drop all around. “What the… How’d you do that?”

“Did his attack power suddenly go up?” asked Paul.

“I’m not sure. Dex?”

My Pokedex responded with an answer I never would’ve expected: “ _ Guts, the special ability of Luxio. When this Pokémon becomes affected by a bad status condition such as poison, burn, or paralysis, the power of its physical moves rise exponentially. _ ”

I gazed at my Pokémon. “Your ability is Guts?!” He looked back at me with a smile, making me smile as well. “That’s awesome. So, with that boosted power, let’s finish this up, Paul. The four of us.”

“Right! Eevee use Shadow Ball!” Eevee fired not one but two Shadow Balls, one for each opposing Pokémon.

“Dodge!” Both Pokémon—including the surprisingly agile Muk—moved out of the way, just as I hoped.

“Spark!” Luxio slammed into Muk first and then moved straight to Gengar, delivering lots of damage. It was clear that both of them struggled to keep up with Luxio’s insane boost in power.

“Don’t let those tiny Pokémon show you up. Blow them away in one move. Hyper Beam!” Both Pokémon emitted powerful beams of energy from their mouths, hoping for a quick and clean victory.

Paul and I wouldn’t let that happen.

“Iron Tail!!!”

Eevee and Luxio leaped right over the Hyper Beams, tails both glowing silver and being slammed into their opponent’s heads. Eevee took out Muk, and Luxio—my wonderful, amazing Luxio—knocked out Gengar.

_ Even if I’m a coward when it comes to Ghost-type Pokémon, he isn’t! _

Muk and Gengar both ended up unconscious in front of Dwayne.

“What the hell?!” he screamed. Both of his underlings went white as a sheet.

“You did it!” Lostelle, Squirtle, and Pikachu cheered.

Dwayne recalled his Pokémon and turned to the others, all of them heading for their bikes. “Let’s get out of here and fast!”

“Not a chance in hell.” I threw a Poké Ball, summoning my Haunter. “Put them to sleep with Hypnosis!” He cackled before putting all three bikers into a deep slumber. They all fell to the ground and snoozed away, dreaming about the Dratini catch that would never happen.

“Good call,” said Paul. “Let’s tie them up and leave them for Officer Jenny.” He went over to do just that.

“You did it, Rosa!” Lostelle hopped over to me. “You defeated those meanies. You’re so cool.”

I blushed. “I should thank you for running the cheering squad. It really helped.”

“I like being a cheerleader.” Squirtle and Pikachu both agreed. “Oh, but sorry. I wasn’t watching the bikes carefully enough. One of your bikes got hit with an attack.” With a frown, she gestured to the three bikes lined up beside each other—actually, it was two bikes. The closest one had been hit with a corrosive poison attack and was reduced to a pile of scraps.

“Ah, that’s ok. We won in the end, so all is good.”  _ Why did it have to be mine? _

“She’s right. That’s all that matters.” Paul returned to our side after tying all three thugs to a lamppost. “Those bastards won’t be waking up for a while. Haunter sure put them to sleep.”

Smiling, I turned to my Ghost-type hovering beside me. “He knows how to be a ghost. That’s for sure.” Haunter responded by clapping. I thanked him and recalled him to his Poké Ball, shuddering at the fact that I just smiled at a Ghost Pokémon.

“Don’t forget Eevee and Luxio!” said Lostelle. “They battled really hard.”

I nodded. “Good point. Thanks, guys.”

“That battle was excellent, Eevee,” added Paul.

Eevee smiled at us and wagged her tail, looking over at Luxio.

He smiled at us for a second. Then, he eyed his battle partner, and with a slight blush, commended her battling. She immediately got flustered and hid her face with her ears, prompting Luxio to ask if she felt sick.

“You’re so innocent, Luxio,” I giggled. He didn’t understand.

“I should probably follow his example,” Paul muttered, turning to me. “That was pretty great battling, Rosa. I don’t think I ever took my eyes off the match. You and Luxio work well together.”

It was my turn to get flustered.

Hiding my face with my bangs, I stammered and said, “Well, y-you know, the stuff you told me helped a lot. I had an incredibly big reason to fight so hard.”

Dratini heard me. She popped out of my bag and nuzzled my cheek.

“Hey. That tickles. Of course, I’d protect you. We’re friends, right?” She mewled, and then complained about an empty stomach. “Don’t worry. We’ll get some food once we reach the other end of the bridge. How does that sound?”

Everyone loved the idea.

“So until then, please stay in the bag.” Dratini obeyed and went back inside.

“Oh, and Lostelle, here.” Paul wrote on a small piece of paper and handed it to the little girl. “After you cross the bridge, go to the police station. That’s the address. Let them know what happened here, and let them know they have some trash to collect.” He glared back at the sleeping old men. “These guys will be here for a while.”

“Okay. I’ll do that. And thank you both so much for helping me out.”

“Of course,” we both replied.

“And once I become a better Trainer, Rosa, I want us to have a Pokémon battle. I’m gonna train super hard for that point. I really want to battle like you. Not afraid of anything, and super smart. You’re super amazing!”

My cheeks felt warm. “Th-Thanks, Lostelle. I’m flattered that I can be a role model though I’m not that—”

“Amazing? Nah, I think you are.”

The voice belonged to Paul.

When I looked at him, my face burst into flames.

_ There goes my composure. _

I spun around quickly. “Let’s just work on crossing this bridge, now. Off to Sunny Town!”

Lostelle hopped onto her bike, placed Squirtle in the basket, and waved.

“Bye, guys, and thanks again!”

We called back, “You’re welcome!” and watched her pedal off into the distance.

“Okay. Let’s hit the road, too.”

“Yep. I agree,” replied Paul.

Eevee and Pikachu voiced their enthusiasm for having a meal sooner rather than later.

Luxio, however, didn’t sound quite as excited. Actually, he didn’t make much of a noise at all. None of us heard anything, and my panic meter went off the charts when I saw him topple over onto his side.

“Luxio!!!” I’d never screamed louder in my life.

He squeezed his eyes shut as purple bubbles came off his body.

I crouched at his side and instinctively felt his forehead. “It’s the poison. It’s giving him a fever. I don’t have any antidotes for a poison this strong. Do you?”

Paul regretfully shook his head.

“Dammit. Alright, then let’s just hightail it to Sunny Town. Nurse Joy should have some antidotes strong enough.” Luxio groaned slightly as I picked him up in my arms. “Until then, get into your Poké Ball.” Despite being in excruciating pain, he protested. “Hey! What did I tell you?!” He still refused.

“You can’t just carry him to the Pokémon Center,” Paul reminded me.

I stared at our one remaining bike. “No, I can’t.” He was surprised when I quickly turned to him. “But you can.”

“Huh?!”

I held out Luxio. “You carry him, and hang on. I’ll pedal.”

His eyes widened. “Are… Are you sure?”

“Yes! I’m the better biker, after all. And I’ll do anything for Luxio. Please, Paul!”

His eyes flickered between our faces. “I thought you said you didn’t trust me.”

“I know what I said! But Luxio is more important to me than anyone. I can move past my anger for him. Not to mention I’m the faster bike.” I gazed at him. “What does it tell you if I’m trusting you with my best friend in the whole fucking world?”

He went silent quickly, and with no more questions that couldn’t get the same answer, he took Luxio into his arms. “Okay. I promise I’ll take care of him.” The look in his eyes gave me all the proof I needed that he’d care for Luxio the same way I do.

I hopped onto the bike. Paul sat behind me, one arm pressing Luxio to his chest and the other death-gripping my backpack. Pikachu, Eevee, and Dratini kept their eyes glued to the poisoned Luxio.

Without warning, I kicked off the ground, pedaling hard and pushing us as fast as I could to Sunny Town. “Hang on super tight, guys! Pikachu, Eevee, and Dratini, help Paul out as much as you can!”

“Jeez! How fast are we even going?!” Paul shouted through strained breathing against the heavy rain and wind.

“This isn’t even my top speed!” I went faster and faster, trying to remain silent and not freak out over Luxio’s current state. “Don’t worry, Luxio! You’ll be at the Pokémon Center soon! I won’t let you down!”

But even as I struggled to keep pedaling at such an incredible pace, guilt and anxiety hammered away at my heart and made it difficult to do anything.

After all, this was my fault.

Luxio getting this hurt was my fault.

_ If he takes a turn for the worse… _

I shook my head, clenched my teeth, and refused to let those thoughts enter my mind. I was getting Luxio to the Pokémon Center, no questions asked.

I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t.


	31. Get the Message

I hovered outside the ER, hands fiddling with the hem of my sleeves. If someone asked if I was worried, I’d call them an idiot. Dry throat. Sweaty palms. Endless deep breaths in an effort to calm myself. Pacing back and forth. Trying to take a seat and standing up immediately after. My best friend had been behind those closed doors for at least an hour, with Nurse Joy tirelessly working to stabilize his condition.

Worried was an understatement.

“You know, your pacing isn’t going to help anyone,” muttered Paul. I started falling apart the minute we arrived at the Pokémon Center, and he witnessed all of it with a frown and eyebrows drawn together. “So sit down already.”

I ignored him.

He must’ve thought I didn’t hear him, so he tried again. “If you keep thinking too much about it, you’re going to stress yourself out. He’ll be fine. You just have to relax a bit.”

I still ignored him.

“Rosa!”

“What?!”

“You need to take a breath! Nurse Joy is in there doing everything she can, and Luxio will be alright. You know that. He’s a lot stronger than he looks.”

Fists tight, fingernails biting into my palms, I replied through clenched teeth, “I can worry or relax all I want. That doesn’t change the circumstances, Paul.”

“What circumstances?”

“That this was all my fault!” My stomach hardened. “It’s my fault he got poisoned in the first place. If I hadn’t trusted that bastard, maybe this wouldn’t have happened, or if I had taken better care of Dratini and kept her from jumping out of the bag.”

Dratini had her head poked out of my bag, and at the words, she whined.

Instantly regretting my choice of words, I scrambled to fix the damage. “Ack! No, Dratini, I’m not blaming you. Neither of us could’ve known that Justin’s just a two-faced jackass. Please, don’t blame yourself.”

She shyly nodded her head, receiving a pat on the back from Pikachu.

“You should take your own advice,” suggested Paul.

“How about you just be quiet?  _ My _ negligence led to this. Nobody else’s.” I dipped my head. “And it's about to cost me everything.”

“Don’t say that! Assuming the worst-case scenario is the last thing we need right now! You’re going to work yourself into the ground if you keep overthinking. Luxio will recover from that poison and you know that. Now, just take a breath, relax, and come sit down, and…” He reached out.

“Don’t touch me!” I shoved his arm aside and whipped around, eyes bulged and nostrils flared. “We’re not best buddies now just because you helped me out a little! I’m still super freaking pissed off at you!”

“I’m just trying to help you out! What else do you want me to do?!”

“Nothing! I never asked for your help! I don’t want it, and I don’t need it! I’ve been through this thing on my own before and I can do it again—Ah!” I froze, all anger and tension evaporating from my voice.

His eyes widened. “Before? You’ve been through this—?”

“F-Forget it! Just forget I said anything and mind your own damn business!”

With teeth clenched, he turned his glare away. “Do you want my help or not? You can’t have it both ways. I know I’m a jerk, but come on.”

I stepped away from him, chin dipping to my chest as my posture slumped. The stomachache from earlier grew exponentially more painful. It only got worse the more I considered the words I was unable to take back.

Pikachu and Eevee looked on as both of their Trainers went unnaturally silent and moved away from each other. They feared saying or doing anything with the slim chance of reigniting the smoldering flames of our argument.

Suddenly, the ER doors opened with a  _ whoosh _ . Nurse Joy came out with a clipboard and a blank face.

“Nurse Joy!” Paul dashed over to her. “How’s Luxio? Is he alright?”

I turned my head to better listen to her response.

She eyed both of us before giving a soft smile. “There’s no need to worry. We’ve dealt with Luxio’s poison and his condition is stable. You brought him here quickly enough that we were able to handle the situation before it got too out of hand.”

“Out of...hand?” I repeated, swallowing hard.

The light left her eyes for a moment. “You see, Luxio’s poison was quite bad. It must’ve been a buildup of Toxic plus all the poisonous fumes emitted by that Muk you battled. You said that Luxio had direct contact with it? The gases emitted by a Muk are extremely poisonous and life-threatening. It would’ve been a lot more serious if he hadn’t gotten here for another few minutes.”

“It was that bad?” asked Paul, eyes wide with disbelief.

My heart pounded against my ribcage.

_ He could’ve… He could’ve... _

“But, don’t worry!” Nurse Joy quickly exclaimed. “The poison’s gone now, and he’s in the recovery room. It’s best to let him sleep for a little while and regain his strength. Chansey is watching over him, and once she finishes with a final checkup, you can visit. I promise to let you know as soon as that’s possible.

“But, again, he’ll be alright.”

Paul, Pikachu, and Eevee breathed out deep sighs of relief.

“Thank you very much,” Paul said with a bow before turning to look at me. “See? I told you he’d be fine. Nurse Joy would take care of it, and Luxio would be all better. So, now you can…” He paused.

Despite the wonderful news, I had yet to smile. I couldn’t smile. I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t do anything. My mind locked me in an eternal cycle of anxiety and worry, and the frustration of the day was all aimed towards myself.

It took all my strength just to spit out a few words. “Right... That’s really great...” After a quick nod of my head, I grabbed my bag and stormed down the hallway. Pikachu raced after me in a hurry, while the others remained in place.

Paul and Eevee exchanged glances. If someone asked if they were worried, I’d call them an idiot, too.

Worried was an understatement.

★

Just outside the Pokémon Center, I sat on a bench. Pikachu and Dratini insisted on finding a spot out of the rain. I cared very little about being dry, however. I placed my jacket over both Pokémon’s heads and tugged them close. In seconds, the rain soaked my exposed head and shoulders. With a stinging nose and shriveled fingers, I welcomed the cold, wet pitter patter like an old friend. The sound of a million droplets colliding with the sidewalk was music to my ears, and a good distraction, too.

Taking a deep breath, my chest trembled on the exhale.

“I can’t believe myself.”

Pikachu and Dratini peered up at me.

“Paul didn’t deserve that. He just tried to help, but I went and yelled at him anyway.”

Patting my arm, Pikachu assured me that Paul would forgive my words.

“I appreciate it. Thank you both. Being here and listening to me is more than helpful.” I scratched both of their heads, enjoying the sound of them cooing as they relaxed. “I’d be a lost cause without my Pokémon.”

“I’d hate to see what that Rosa’s like.”

Hearing the sarcastic voice, I went quiet, refusing to acknowledge the approaching person. On the other hand, Pikachu and Dratini both turned their heads, faces lighting up with excitement as Eevee hopped down beside them.

When she brushed against my arm, I remained still. “Sorry, Eevee. I don’t feel like playing right now.” However, the stubborn Eevee persisted, and eventually got a nice scratch behind her ears. At least it was a good excuse to ignore her Trainer.

I tried my hardest not to acknowledge him. Maybe he’d go away? Maybe he’d leave me in peace? Maybe he’d realize what a mess I truly am and leave for good? I wouldn’t mind. It would save him the trouble. Maybe...

“What are you doing out in the rain?”

His voice cut through my train of thought like butter.

“It’s quiet,” I muttered, “and the rain feels good on my face.” My arms struggled to clear the mix of rain and tears staining my cheeks.

“You could’ve sat a little closer to the building, at least.”

“It’s not too far.”

“It’s not very close either.”

My eyebrow twitched. “Did you just come here to criticize me or what?”

“No.” I heard him inhale and exhale slowly. That’s when a bottle of tea pressed against the side of my head. “Here. You pedaled your ass off earlier, and I don’t think you’ve had anything decent since the bridge.”

Swallowing hard, I shook my head.

Paul sat down and placed the bottle beside me. “Well, it’ll be here.”

With a nod of my head, everything went quiet again.

We remained that way for a while, watching the rain trickle off leaves, lampposts, and rooftops. Pikachu and Eevee chased each other on the grass and splashed in puddles. Dratini coiled herself around me. The warmth of her body against mine provided some comfort I didn’t know I needed.

Her comfort gave me the strength to break the silence. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Aren’t you going to say it?”

He turned his head slightly.

The confusion on his face further upset me. “Ahh. You know? I was wrong, you were right? I trusted some stranger I clearly shouldn’t have, and look at what happened. Luxio got hurt.” My grip tightened on the bench’s wooden planks. “It’s pathetic. I’m pathetic. Aren’t I?”

Paul took a moment before he responded. “You don’t need to beat yourself up just because you had faith in someone. Getting hurt is just a risk you take.”

“But it’s not about me getting hurt. It’s about someone I love getting hurt.” My gaze remained glued to the cement beneath my feet. “I almost made the same mistake. That’s what’s so painful about this.”

“Same mistake?”

I froze, realizing what had slipped from my mouth for the second time.

“You mentioned that earlier? Has something like this happened...before?”

“Forget it! I didn’t say that!” I kept myself turned away from him. “The point is I’m just frustrated with myself. I trusted someone just because I thought they seemed nice, but that’s exactly the kind of thing I told myself not to do. Sure enough, my instincts were right.” A sigh escaped my lips. “Maybe I’m just bad at reading people.”

“Hmm.” He took a long sip from his drink and then said, “Yeah. Maybe...”

I finally looked up at him, with a glare. “Is that supposed to make me feel better—?”

“Since, you know, the last guy you trusted is a total ass,” he continued.

My mouth fell open. I didn’t expect him to call himself out like that.

It led to a stifled laugh. “Ha! Yeah, I guess he was.” For the first time in a while, I had a smile on my face, and my chest felt light. After wiping away my few remaining tears, I looked over. “Speaking of that guy, uh, thank you, Paul.”

“Don’t mention it. I was worried about Luxio, too.”

“Not just that. You helped me out with that battle when you really didn’t have to.”

“Come on. I wanted a chance to beat those punks up, too.”

“Well, thanks.” Then, I held out my hand.

“What?”

“Can I have that now?”

He grinned. “You sure took your time. I was tempted to drink it.”

I swiped the bottle from his hand. “Don’t push it! I’m thirsty!” I began chugging.

“Yeah. Yeah. So drink up. You worked that bike to death.”

“Ah, there you are!”

A familiar health care official hurried over to us.

“Nurse Joy?”

“Is everything alright?”

Taking a second to catch her breath, she beamed, “Luxio’s condition has stabilized enough to let you into the room now.”

“Really?! That’s great news!” I chugged harder, with the Pokémon insisting I slow down.

After Nurse Joy went back inside, Paul rose to his feet. “And once Luxio’s all better, let’s get back on the road. I’m craving my next gym badge, or at least a battle against someone who’s not a bunch of losers.”

“Yeah, that’d be nice.” As I stood up, my eyes fell to the empty bottle in my hands. A weird feeling came over me that prompted me to act first, think later. “Oh, yeah. Paul? I forgot something.”

“What is it?”

As he turned back, I grabbed his arm, leaned forward, and pecked his cheek as quick as possible. Pikachu, Dratini, and Eevee practically screamed. Without saying anything, I threw my bag over my shoulder and continued toward the doors, leaving Paul frozen in place.

I stopped for a brief moment. “Well, come on! Let’s go see Luxio.”

“What… You…”

“It was a proper thank you.” I spotted my beet-red face in the window, making my cheeks burn even more. “Now, hurry up!” After chucking the empty tea bottle into a trash can, I stepped into the Pokémon Center.

Paul remained still for a moment longer.

Something caught his attention, and he turned to stare up at the sky. The clouds had parted, allowing sunshine to pour down and exchange the gloomy atmosphere with a cheerful one.

He smiled and hurried inside.

★

We followed Nurse Joy to the recovery room. Once inside, she brought us to a small area surrounded by curtains. She pulled them apart and gestured for me to step forward. Upon entering, I spotted Luxio fast asleep on a table.

“Luxio…” I gasped, eyes flickering to the nurse. “Can I?”

She nodded.

My lips sealed shut as I approached the table. I collapsed on my knees, leaned forward, and pressed my forehead against Luxio’s fluffy head. My lips remained sealed since there was nothing I could say that would change how much I needed him to wake up that instant.

And he did.

Luxio first stirred to my scent. Blinking open his eyes, he immediately recognized brown hair, and gentle green orbs with a comforting light in them. He made the tiniest mewl before licking my face.

My eyes snapped open, releasing the dam.

“Luxio!” I crushed him against me. “You’re awake! You’re awake!”

Pikachu, Eevee, and Dratini rushed over to see him. I laughed upon learning of another crybaby in the room. Eevee also burst into tears the instant Luxio woke up. He grinned and flicked his tail to show his current condition.

“Don’t worry, Eevee,” I choked out through happy tears. “He’s back now.”

Forcing himself onto all fours, Luxio pressed his forehead against mine and purred.

My tears fell against his face. “I love you, too. Sorry about your fur.”

He nuzzled my cheek.

Nearby, Paul and Nurse Joy watched the scene with gentle smiles. The boy looked over his shoulder. “Thank you, Nurse Joy, for your help. And for your advice. It seemed to help.”

“Is she not mad at you anymore?”

He grimaced. “Eh, yeah, she still is.” His eyes flickered back to me. “But at least she has her pillar back.”

Looking between the two of us, Nurse Joy’s gaze softened.  _ I suppose neither of them can tell, huh? Ah, the joys of being young!  _ “I think she might have more than one pillar,” she giggled.

Paul only heard a mumble. “Huh?”

The phone rang, giving Nurse Joy a great excuse to slip away and avoid Paul’s question.

“Paul! Paul, look! He’s awake!” I picked Luxio up and held him out. “Isn’t it great?!”

He stepped over and crouched a little. “Is that true? Feeling better?”

Luxio responded with a confident growl.

“Glad to hear it. You gotta be in shape for your next gym battle.”

“Now, hold on. I can’t decide my team roster until I know what kinds of Pokémon the Gym Leader will be using.” Luxio chuffed in annoyance. “Hey, don’t pout. I mean, if they’re a Ground-type user, you’re definitely sitting it out. You’re not so great against Ground-types.” He gave a halfhearted nod. “But, I’d be more than happy to rethink that once you learn Ice Fang.”

“Ice Fang?”

“Yeah. Don’t you know? When a Luxio evolves into Luxray, they gain access to all sorts of neat attacks. Volt always uses Ice Fang when his Luxray battles Ground-types, which is the only Pokémon that their species has trouble with.”

He shot me a disappointed look. “Don’t be a know-it-all, now.”

I smirked. “Don’t be jealous that I know more than you.”

“You don’t know more than me, Girlie.”

“Yes, I do, and don’t call me that!”

That’s when Nurse Joy returned to the room. “Ah, sorry to interrupt. Rosa, there’s a postman outside who says he has a letter for you, and he was requested to hand it over in person.”

“In person?” I repeated. “Wonder why? But shouldn’t I wait for Luxio to be discharged?”

“I’ll stay with him,” said Paul. I stared at him in surprise. “You go meet the guy and get your letter. I’ll wait here for Luxio to be discharged, and then we’ll meet up outside and head for Fuchsia once everything is done.”

After a moment, I nodded. “Alright.” I rubbed Luxio’s head. “Be good to Paul. If he upsets you at all, just give him your best Thunder Bolt. Or Swift. Whatever you prefer.” Luxio happily waved his tail.

“Hey! I’m not some lousy caretaker.”

I ignored him. “Come on, Pikachu. Dratini, make sure to stay in the bag this time. I promise to let you know when it’s safe to pop out.” After Dratini situated herself inside, the three of us left the room.

Rushing outside, Pikachu and I found the mailman standing a few feet from the Center’s front doors. He approached us and asked, “Are you Rosa?”

“That’s me. What’s this about a letter?”

He revealed a small envelope from his bag’s multitude of pockets. “I have a letter for you from Celadon City. The sender insisted that I deliver it in person and said I could find you here in Sunny Town. Lucky guess on their part, huh?”

“Wow.” I took the letter into my hands, giving Pikachu a look. “How the heck did they know I’d be here?” She shrugged before growing curious about the letter. “I’m curious, too. Let’s see.”

I quickly opened the envelope, finding a paper with lots of scribbles. A few of the words were more defined than others, like they’d been written in sharpie compared to the rest of the ballpoint pen writing:

“ _ Rosa, _

_ I hope this letter gets to you when you’re in a safe spot. _

**_How’s_ ** _ it going?  _ **_The_ ** _ weather is nice in Sunny Town this time of year, right?  _ **_Floppy_ ** _ hat weather?  _ **_Disc_ ** _ golf weather? Nah, probably not that nice. Summer just ended, so it’s onto fall and then winter. Any summer  _ **_project_ ** _ you started will no doubt have to wait, at least until the  _ **_rebirth_ ** _ of the calendar year. _

_ Speaking of projects, remember that family heirloom I had you hold onto? I hope it’s broken. I hated that thing, and it certainly doesn’t do any good in the wrong hands. Destroy it as soon as possible, and don’t just sell it on the internet or something. If the information on that heirloom gets shared around, no doubt my family can find you and track you down, and that won’t end well. My grandma really loved that thing! Her name is Tera Kemcot. If you see or hear of anyone with that name, make sure to keep your guard up, and be smart. _

_ Well, I leave it in your hands. I won’t be sending another letter, as I think you’re a smart girl and trust you to do the right thing with that piece of crap. Not to mention that writing more letters is just an unnecessary waste of paper and words. _

_ Take care on your journey. Maybe we’ll meet again. Farewell. _

_ …R… _ ”

“What family heirloom? And destroy it?” I muttered to Pikachu.

Ears perking up, she reminded me of the  _ secret item _ that we received back in Celadon City.

“The floppy disc?” I whispered back before rereading the letter. “Oh, now I get it! It says it all right in writing. How’s...the...floppy...disc...project...rebirth? I think this is from that guy we met!”

Pikachu reminded me of the strange ‘R’ signed at the bottom.

“Yeah, that’s probably his name, but not very specific, huh?” I saw the mailman walking away and raced after him. “Ah, sir! Wait a minute!”

He stopped and looked back at me. “Yes? Is something wrong?”

“N-No. I just wanted to ask about the sender. You see, I’ve never seen him...uh...in person! Yeah! We’ve only been chatting online. I wanted to know if he did or said anything besides hand over the letter.”

The mailman frowned and shook his head. “No, sorry. He only asked me to give this to you in person and then walked away without another word. No name or anything.”

“Well, did you see his face?”

“He had a hood up the whole time, and it was dark.”

Pikachu quickly brought up one important detail.

“Good point. Did the man have any Pokémon with him? Like a Pikachu, for example?”

Once again, he responded with a frown, “No, none that I saw.”

“Darn. Then maybe it isn’t him. Well, thank you for listening to my questions.”

“It’s no problem. I’m sorry I couldn’t be more helpful.”

I waved my hand. “Actually, you’ve been really helpful. You got me my mail.” Just then I noticed the Pokémon standing at the man’s side: a horse with a flaming mane and tail, and a saddle on its back. “Who’s your friend, by the way?”

“Ah, this is Ponyta. He helps me deliver mail all over Kanto. I wouldn’t meet my deadlines without him. Isn’t that right, pal?” The horse responded with a prideful neigh. “You’re welcome to say hi.”

I reached a hand out. “Hi, Ponyta. I’m Rosa.” The horse pushed its snout into my hand and breathed hot air onto my fingers. “You sure are friendly, and cute, too. Is there somewhere I can catch a Ponyta for myself?”

“Well, if you’re heading to Fuchsia City, herds of wild Ponyta and Rapidash roam the outskirts of the city from dusk till dawn. That’s where I first met this guy, so I have no doubt you can make a new Fire-type friend there, too.”

“Awesome! Thank you.”

The mailman tipped his hat before hopping onto Ponyta’s back. With a wave, they galloped down the street.

Pikachu and I smiled as he disappeared around some buildings.

“What a respectable career, Pikachu. Guys like him work day and night just to bring us our mail on time, and if you don’t appreciate that kind of effort, you really need to rethink your life.” She agreed with a nod.

“Rethink your life why?” Paul approached us with Luxio and Eevee at his side.

“Oh, nothing. I was just rambling. Well, are we all ready to go? Luxio, you still feeling good?” He replied with a vigorous nod. “Glad to hear it.”

“Just one problem.” Paul gestured to the one bike that remained.

I grinned. “Well, I know what that means.” The Pokémon all understood my meaning.


	32. A Fiery Friendship

We left Sunny Town with haste, aiming to reach Fuchsia City—and hopefully earn our next gym badge—before the end of the day. The thought of spending another night in my sleeping bag sounded terrible. Even with only one bike left, Paul and I worked out a solution to reach our destination the fastest.

I still got to enjoy the wind rustling my hair and tickling my skin.

“Isn’t this just the  _ best _ ?”

Pikachu, Eevee, and Luxio all shared the space on my head and shoulders, and Dratini poked her head out of my bag. They all cooed in agreement.

“There’s not even any rain anymore. Just a somewhat cloudy sky, a gentle breeze, and a relaxing bike ride through the countryside. Can you imagine any other way to spend the afternoon?”

“Yeah. I can, actually,” grumbled Paul, pedaling.

From my perch on the bike’s extra seat, I glared at his back. “Hey! As I recall, we all agreed on this setup, and you need practice. Until you become a pro biker, or this bike also gets destroyed, this is how we’re getting to Fuchsia City. Now, complain not! Pedal more, my young padawan!”

“Just hand me my water,  _ Master Rosa _ .”

I smirked and handed over the bottle. “At least you know what’s good for you. Look! See those trees on the horizon? The map on my Pokétch indicates that Fuchsia City is right on the other side. Just get through that forest. You can do it! Let’s cheer Paul on, you guys!”

Pikachu, Eevee, Luxio, and Dratini all shouted words of encouragement.

He laughed. “Guess I can’t let my audience down. Just make sure to hang on!” After chugging down a ton of water, Paul tossed the bottle back to me and returned his focus to pedaling, quickly accelerating to a pace where I had to hold on tight.

The Pokémon wore fat grins on their faces as we zipped across the wide-open country.

Paul’s rapid improvement impressed me enough to make me smile just as much—if not more. Of course, when I remembered my arms securely locked around his waist, my smile vanished. My face, neck, and ears felt impossibly hot, and Pikachu proceeded to tease me for what felt like forever.

We rode through the small cluster of trees, and upon clearing them, we arrived at the edge of a magnificent valley. Mankind and nature intertwined perfectly here. Acres upon acres of stinky farmland and dry grasslands sat before our eyes. Neatly tended rows of crops and burnt grass meadows reached to our knees. Unfamiliar Pokémon pranced about in fenced pastures, and the farther I looked, the space between the fields grew wider until eventually, farmland turned into wildland.

A hill lived at the very center of this valley. On it, the trees had gathered together as close as possible to watch over the surrounding lands, their combined eyesight reaching for miles and miles. Tiled rooftops, bell towers, and brick chimneys poked out of the canopy in random patterns. There was a city on that small hill, but it did its best hiding from the eyes of outsiders.

“Wow!” I hopped off the bike and dashed ahead to absorb the full view.

The city, the forest, and the expansive fields reached to the horizon line. Who knows how much farther they continued after that?

“This is amazing! I’ve never seen anything like this before!”

Paul came up beside me, one foot on the ground to keep the bike upright. “It’s nothing but farmland. What’s so incredible about that?”

“Everything! It’s so different from every city we’ve been so far. It’s like a random blend of houses and plants, but I bet it works like a network. All these farms must’ve been slowly developed over years of hard work by generations of families. And that hill? I expected a city with trees, and I got a forest with buildings. How could you not be amazed by it?!”

After my moment of pure awe, a fist gently tapped the back of my head.

“You dope.”

I grinned.

Pikachu, Eevee, and Luxio also marveled at the sight.

Dratini slithered out of my bag and perched her head atop mine. “Are you seeing all this? Somewhere out here is your home, Dratini. I can feel it. Stick with me, and I’m going to make sure you get there. After all, a promise is a promise.” She mewled in excitement and wagged her tail.

“I’m assuming that hill is Fuchsia City.” Paul gestured to the cluster of trees at the valley’s center. “Know anything about it?”

“I read it was originally the site of a ninja clan hideout. Over the years, people came down from the mountains or up from the sea, which led to more recruits, so then the town needed to expand. While farmers moved to the outskirts, the majority of citizens simply built new buildings from within the safety of the trees.”

“That explains why it feels like the city is trying to hide within nature.” He turned. “Does that mean ninjas run the gym?”

I laughed. “Maybe, but don’t get scared. We can work out an anti-ninja strategy on the way to the gym.”

“I’m not scared!”

Snickering, I returned to my seat on the bike. “Then don’t get so defensive about it.”

Holding back a snarl, Paul quickly changed the subject. “Before anything, let’s stop by the Pokémon Center first. I think those practice battles we had at lunch exhausted everyone.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

With a kick, we resumed our course for the Happening and Passing City.

★

We entered Fuchsia City after a quick bike ride, not much longer than ten minutes. Despite the shadows of trees engulfing everything, the city appeared lively and full of light. Someone cut down a minimal amount of trees to make way for the houses and shops, plus a train station, and a pathway leading to some city landmark, like a Pokémon Gym, maybe?

The Pokémon Center sat across from the train station. Just as we agreed, Paul and I headed there before anything else: to have our Pokémon healed, of course, but also to book a room for the next few days.

“Hey, Paul!” I raced over to find my friend relaxing on a sofa in the lobby. “Did you get your Pokémon back already?”

“See for yourself.” Grotle and Eevee stood at his side, grinning at me. “The whole team’s brimming with energy now. Too much if you ask me.”

“That’s great! So are we!” Pikachu and Luxio agreed with enthusiastic cries.

Dratini stuck her head out of my bag, which was placed at Paul’s side, to view all the commotion. “Hey. Don’t let anyone see you. I promised I’d let you know when we’re in the clear.” She snuggled up against his side, knowing his body shielded her from view. Patting her head, he looked back at me. “So, did you get us all checked in?”

“I did, and we took a quick peek at the room. You won’t believe how nice it is for such a low price. I tested one of the beds and nearly fell asleep. Right, Luxio?” He flicked his tail thinking about the soft pillows. Pikachu kept daydreaming about the two beds she used as trampolines.

“Well, some good news, at least.”

“Is there bad news?”

“I overheard other Trainers saying that Fuchsia Gym is already closed for the day.”

My jaw dropped. “What?! You can’t be serious!”

“I didn’t believe them either, so I went to see for myself. They were right. Fuchsia Gym hours are from 8 am to 4 pm.”

“Darn. That means we just missed it, huh?”

“Yep.” He threw his arms over the back of the sofa. “So, nothing to do but sit here and wait for tomorrow to come. I suppose we could do some more training, or find something to do in town. There’s a couple of shops we passed that looked decent.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You want to go shopping?”

“Yeah. What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing. Nothing at all.” I hoisted myself up and over the couch, plopping down beside him. Dratini immediately scooted over and curled up at my side. “It just doesn’t seem like you. Anything you want to look for?”

He suddenly looked offended. “What else would I look for, Girlie?! We need to stock up on more Pokémon food supplies and medicine, duh! And in light of recent poisoning events, I think we should look for some heavy antidotes.”

“Don’t call me that, and calm down! It’s a good idea. I  _ totally _ agree that we need to go spend the rest of the day stocking up on supplies.”

Paul shot me a look. “ _ But _ ?”

I averted my gaze. “But...what?”

“You have something else in mind, don’t you?”

“Nothing too major.” I pressed my fingertips together. “But, I wanted to head out of town if I ever got the spare time.”

“Out of town? Why?”

“To catch a new Pokémon. This one!”

I opened my Pokédex and brought up an entry on the horse I met earlier: “ _ Ponyta the Fire Horse Pokémon. Its hooves are ten times harder than diamonds. As a newborn, it can barely stand. However, through galloping after its parents, its legs are made tougher and faster _ .”

“A Ponyta?”

My head vigorously nodded on its own. “I thought the one we met earlier was cute. They can be found in herds right around Fuchsia City. If you recall, I don’t have a bike anymore, so I thought having a fast Pokémon like a Ponyta would be a neat way to get around. What do you think?”

Paul considered the idea for a moment. “Not like I have any better ideas, but I don’t want to catch one.”

“That’s alright. I’ll go by myself with my Pokémon. You, Grotle, and Eevee can stay here and do whatever. And we’ll meet back up for dinner in two hours. How does that sound?”

He looked at his Pokémon and shrugged. “No objections from us.”

“Sweet! Back in a flash!” Securing Dratini in my bag, I hoisted it over my shoulders and dashed out the door. Pikachu and Luxio rushed after me, and together we sprinted down the sidewalk heading out of town.

Once I completely disappeared, Paul released a deep sigh. “Good. I was hoping she’d go off on her own for a minute.” Both Pokémon gave him a curious look. “But knowing her, she’ll be back quicker than I can say ‘Pokémon.’ So there’s no time to waste. I need you both to help me find something.”

Grotle and Eevee exchanged glances, wondering what their Trainer had planned.

★

After splitting off from the main road, Luxio, Pikachu, and I reached the outer fields and continued walking in one direction. When we could no longer hear the crunch of tires on gravel roads, see scarecrows, or even smell civilization, we had gone far enough.

“Alright! Time to find us a Ponyta! If I were a herd of horses, this would be the perfect spot, right?” I said. “Very off the beaten path, wide-open fields where you can graze to your heart's content, and little to no human interactions."

Of course, even in the right location, finding an entire herd of Pokémon was still a lot easier said than done.

We trekked through fields of knee-length grass for almost an hour and still spotted nothing but a few Spearow, Rattata, and the occasional Bellsprout. It left me feeling a little disheartened.

“We are in a good spot, right? I mean, it's nice and sunny, so they should be around here somewhere. Anyone have any ideas?”

Dratini mentioned a lake way off to the east.

"It's worth checking out."

We pushed our way through the tall brush until we nearly fell over a short cliff. A shimmering lake sat at the bottom, surrounded by green grass, shrubs, and shrimpy hills, as well as…

“There they are!”

A herd of fiery-maned horses claimed a spot near the lake, some of them small and some of them huge with massive horns on their foreheads.

"I'll bet that's the evolution of Ponyta. Check them out for us, Dex."

It promptly responded: " _ Rapidash the Fire Horse Pokémon, and the evolved form of Ponyta. With incredible acceleration, this Pokémon reaches its top speed of 150 mph after running just ten steps. When at an all-out gallop, its blazing mane sparkles, enhancing its beautiful appearance. _ "

"It's not wrong there. Just look at the way their flames and coat shimmer against the sun." The sight mesmerized both myself and my Pokémon. I pat Dratini on the head. "Good thinking on this lake. Ha, you can lead a horse to water, even if it's a Fire-type, huh?" She smiled back. "Well, let's get a closer look. Shall we?"

I quietly tiptoed down from the cliff, approached the herd as close as possible, and then crouched behind some bushes. We all poked our heads up over the shrubs to spy on the horses.

"So, now the next question: which one should we catch?"

Pikachu went for the obvious choice.

"No way. Do you see how big those Rapidash are? They'll stomp all over any one of you."

Luxio suggested using Wartortle due to his type-advantage.

"Even with a type advantage, Rapidash can probably dodge attacks with ease thanks to their incredible speed. We’d also be at risk of getting hit by a Solar Beam, which fully evolved Fire-type Pokémon tend to learn. I say we just stick to the original idea and catch a Ponyta.

"Of course, that leads us to our next issue: picking one."

More than half of the herd consisted of Ponyta. Some looked smaller and younger than others, walking around on shaky, newborn legs. They were the easiest targets and an ideal choice for impulsive people. However, all of the young Ponyta stuck to their Rapidash parents like glue. I would certainly have an issue if I chose a foal with a mother or father standing nearby.

On the other hand, I could’ve tried for one of the more experienced Ponyta. There’d be less of a chance of being attacked by a protective parent, but we would have a more difficult fight on our hands.

“Dammit. Which one do I want?”

Dratini suddenly made a cry and gestured towards the back of the herd.

A tiny Ponyta grazed silently by itself, standing far apart from the others. Its ears perked up when a Butterfree flew by. It tapped the horse's nose with its blue forearm, making it sneeze a few harmless flames.

The adorable interaction made my heart squeeze. I muffled my squeals to prevent startling the herd. "So cute!! Let's catch that one before it sneezes again and my heart gives out."

Pikachu and Luxio agreed, but before we moved, Dratini told us to look at Ponyta again.

“What’s wrong?”

While playing with Butterfree, Ponyta had failed to notice the rest of its herd start walking off in one direction. The little pony moved to catch up. However, a Rapidash separated from the group, aggressively approached Ponyta, and snorted at it. The young horse lowered its head and quickly cowered in fear.

“What the heck?” I muttered, observing the unusual interaction between the two horses.

The rest of the herd walked off, leaving the other two behind. Rapidash huffed at the young foal before turning back to the rest of the group. Ponyta attempted to resume its course and tiptoe to the others, but the stallion roared angrily.

Ponyta responded by throwing a tantrum.

Unfazed, Rapidash took an aggressive stance and pawed the ground with its hoof.

Intimidated, Ponyta bowed its head, and suddenly it charged straight at Rapidash. The older horse responded by rearing up on his hind legs, knocking Ponyta some distance to land on its back painfully.

We all gasped in shock.

Luxio asked if they were having a fight.

“I’m not sure. Horses don’t usually have fights like this, especially between an older and a younger one.” I frowned at the Rapidash towering over the injured foal. “Do you think it’s trying to kick Ponyta out of the herd?”

Undeterred, Ponyta lifted itself up and ran back towards Rapidash, but it tripped and fell flat on its face. The older horse remained stern, causing the little one to throw a tantrum again and refuse to be left behind.

“It’s understandable why he doesn’t want to go. That’s his family,” I murmured.

Having had enough of the pony’s latest tantrum, Rapidash reared up on his back legs again, opened his mouth, and upon returning to all fours, unleashed a massive stream of fire to throw Ponyta into the air.

“Oh no!”

When the smoke cleared, the herd had vanished, leaving Ponyta sprawled out on the ground all by himself.

“They’re gone?!”

Ponyta returned to his feet and tried to step forward, but stumbled and fell over again.

“Oh man!” Without hesitation, I slipped out of my hiding spot and dashed over to help out the tiny foal. “Ponyta, are you okay?”

His eyes blinked open, and upon registering our presence, he spooked. He flipped himself around and lifted his two back legs. Before I could react, Luxio used Protect to shield everyone.

I collapsed with wide eyes. “It’s alright, Ponyta! We’re not here to hurt you. We just came over to make sure you’re okay. That was a powerful Fire Blast. We could feel the heat from pretty far away.”

The Pokémon whinnied, staring off into the distance and hoping his family came back.

“I’m sorry that happened to you. I’ve never seen a horse kick one of its own from the herd before.”

Ponyta’s head drooped further.

“Ack! I mean…” My shoulders slumped. “Sorry. I’m probably not helping.”

Suddenly, Ponyta’s legs shuddered. He collapsed on the grass.

“Uh oh. Come on, guys.” I went over to help him stand up. Ponyta, however, insisted on getting up by himself, and after a few tries, succeeded. Based on what the Pokédex said about newborn Ponyta, I came to a shocking conclusion. “You know something, guys? I think this little guy is a newly hatched Ponyta.”

Pikachu, Luxio, and Dratini all gasped.

“Well, it makes sense. He can barely stand, so he must be very young. Of course, that makes it even crueler that he’d just get abandoned like that.”

Ponyta toppled over once again.

“Alright. You had your chance.” I stepped over and helped bring Ponyta back onto his feet. “This time, I’ll help you. Where do you want to go?” He neighed and pointed his snout at the lake. “You’re thirsty? Got it. Let’s…” When I mistakenly put my hand on his mane, the red-orange flames scorched my hand. “Ow!”

The Pokémon all cried out in alarm, with Dratini almost unable to look.

“I’m fine.” Remaining composed, I clenched my teeth and gazed over at the calm, alert horse. “Yeah. That was pretty stupid of me. I wouldn’t trust some stranger right away, either. Sorry, Ponyta.”

He snorted.

“How about this? We’ll just walk at your side, and if you fall, we’ll help you up. Deal?”

Ponyta agreed with a nod.

We all trekked over to the lake. Once we arrived, Ponyta craned his neck down to take a long sip. I crouched and plunged my burnt hand straight into the cool water. “Ahhh…. That feels  _ much _ better.”

Luxio and Pikachu splashed water on their faces.

Also thirsty, Dratini emerged from my bag and slithered down my body, leaving an uncomfortable tingling sensation in her wake. She moved over to the water’s edge and dunked her entire head underwater.

Ponyta noticed the serpent at his side and jumped back in a panic.

“Oh, right. I suppose you haven’t met. Ponyta, this is Dratini. Dratini, say hi.”

The two Pokémon greeted each other and chatted up a storm.

I smiled at the interaction. “Wow. That was fast. Dratini makes friends faster than I do.”

Luxio suggested they became friends so easily because they’re both very young.

“That could be, or maybe they’re both just really friendly. But at least this way, Ponyta has somebody.”

The minute I said his name, Ponyta’s stomach bellowed louder than a Gyarados. He looked away with an adorable and embarrassed face, making the rest of us laugh at his unusual bashfulness.

“Someone hungry? I might have something in here for you.” I rifled through my bag and fetched a bright, red, delicious… “Here, an apple!”

Ponyta’s eyes popped out of their sockets. He hopped over, sucked the fruit right out of my hand, and ate it in one bite. He licked his lips clean of apple juice, neighed, and trotted around us in circles.

“All better now?” His burst of energy made me giggle.

He nodded before lowering his head and pushing his snout into my hand.

“Oh, this? Don’t worry about it. I’m fine now. See? It’s all better.”

Seeing the burn had resided a little, his ears happily flicked back and forth.

“So, Ponyta, what are you gonna do now?”

He regretfully shook his head, studying our surroundings with a hesitant expression.

“Well, if you don’t have any ideas, why don’t you come with us?”

The pony eyed me curiously.

“I have to be honest with you. We already considered catching you before everything happened; that’s why we’re out here in the first place. This way though, at least we got to know you first. What do you say? Want to be part of our team?”

After a moment, he accepted my offer with one condition.

“You want a battle first?”

He continued to whinny.

“With Dratini?” The little serpent and I exchanged looks. “But, well, the thing is that she isn’t really my Pokémon. You see, I’m taking her to her home. We think it’s somewhere in the Safari Zone.”

Ponyta insisted on a battle with Dratini, and that was his final word on the matter.

I looked back to Dratini. “Well, want to battle?”

She excitedly nodded.

“Okay. I’m glad to hear it.”

Ponyta moved several feet away from us and stomped on the ground.

Dratini stood in front of me, facing her first ever opponent with a confident glare. “Let’s see. We already know that you can use Thunder Wave and Wrap. Can you use any other moves?”

Dex answered my question: “ _ Dratini’s moves are Thunder Wave, Wrap, and Twister _ .”

“Not too bad. I can work with that. Ready, Dratini?” She responded with an excited cry.

Ponyta went first. He lowered his head and released a spiral of fire from his mane.

“Deflect it with Twister, Dratini!” She waved her tail and created a small tornado from it, sending it at her opponent. The two attacks combined into one massive vortex before vanishing into thin air. “Nice power!”

Ponyta charged at us. His mane grew larger and formed a ring around his body, his goal to slam into Dratini with a powerful Flame Wheel.

“Slow it down with Thunder Wave!” Dratini emitted a weak bolt of lightning from the tiny orb on her forehead. It landed a direct hit on Ponyta and slowed him down enough for us to brace for impact. “At the first opportunity, grab it with Wrap.” Just as Ponyta collided, Dratini wrapped her tail tightly around Ponyta’s front legs. “Now use Twister once again!” Ponyta was unable to dodge our second Twister and was sent flying.

Upon hitting the ground, he fell over unconscious.

“Ah, too much power!” I wanted to run over and check on him, but my Pokémon all reminded me why we had the battle in the first place. “Oh, right. Poké Ball!” I chucked the ball quickly, smacking Ponyta on the head and bringing him inside. After three clicks, the pony was my newest Pokémon. “Alright!”

I brought Ponyta back out to treat his wounds from before and during the battle. “There. Welcome to our herd, Ponyta. Glad to have you on board.” He responded with a happy whinny and hopped several times.

Dratini slithered over to Ponyta and started up a conversation real quick.

“There they go.”

Luxio reminded me to start heading back before it gets too late.

“Oh yeah. It’s almost dinner time, huh? I’d hate to keep Paul waiting for his food, no matter how much of an ass he can be.” I stepped over to our new friend. “Hey, Ponyta. Are you ready to go back to town? I’m staying the night at the Pokémon Center in Fuchsia City. My friend will be getting hungry, so we need to hurry. You think you can carry us there?”

He turned his body a little and motioned for us to climb aboard.

“You sure you’ll be able to handle it?”

He nodded.

I inched over to him and carefully reached for his mane. When I touched the flames this time, my fingers felt a warm sensation. “It’s not hot!” Speechless, I silently thanked Ponyta for putting his trust in me and hopped onto his back. Pikachu sat behind me, Dratini returned to the comforts of my bag, and Luxio remained on the ground. “Suit yourself. Just make sure to keep up. No doubt this Ponyta’s a fast runner.”

Ponyta responded with a happy neigh, reared up on his back legs, and galloped away.

I held on tight to his neck as we returned to Fuchsia City, a smile plastered on my face the entire way there.

★

Within twenty minutes, we entered the city once again, where I guided Ponyta to the Pokémon Center. Paul hung outside with Grotle and Eevee, having some sort of practice match to warm-up for the gym, no doubt.

I waved to them. “Hope you guys didn’t wait too long!”

He turned to us, and his eyes widened. “That’s quite a catch, Rosa.” They all stepped over to us. “And don’t worry. I wasn’t quite hungry yet so I thought to give these two some more training. How’d it go?”

“See for yourself.” I hopped off Ponyta’s back. “Say hello to our newest recruit.”

Ponyta stomped on the ground, huffed, and caused powerful flames to erupt from his body for a brief moment, showing his strength and eagerness to battle. Paul looked rather impressed.

“Wow. You sure are a fighter. I’m Paul. Hope you didn’t have too much trouble dealing with this one. She sure can be a handful.”

I aggressively pointed my finger at him. “Hey! You’re more of a pain in the ass than I am and you know it. Ponyta, don’t listen to a single word this guy says to you—”

“What happened to your hand?”

“Huh?” I stared at my fingers. “Oh. Right. You see, I was stupid and touched Ponyta’s flames right when we first met.”

Ponyta frowned again, feeling immensely guilty.

“D-Don’t worry, Ponyta! I already said it’s fine.”

“Lemme see.” Without saying anything, Paul took my hand and inspected it.

My face quickly heating up, I stammered, “What… What are you doing…?”

“What does it look like? I’m about to help your burn out. Stay still.” With his free hand, he retrieved a Poké Ball from his belt. “Lucky for you, one of my Pokémon learned a new move just before you got back.”

“New move?”

Paul summoned Mom Eevee from her Poké Ball, who yawned and stretched her legs like a cat stirring from their sixty-seventh daily nap. The other Eevee hopped over to greet her mother with a quick nuzzle. “Eevee, you think you can help this moron’s burn?”

“Who are you calling a moron?” My eyes returned to our connected hands. I flinched and pulled away. “And don’t just take my hand like that.”

He ignored me and looked at his Pokémon. “Better hurry before she whines more.”

Nodding, Eevee opened her mouth to emanate a sweet cry. Her body glowed a comforting blue-green color, and then blue-green waves came off her body. The energy reached my hand, enveloped it in the same light, and worked quickly to make the burn disappear completely.

I turned my hand back and forth, purely amazed. “What move...was that?”

“It’s called Heal Bell,” replied Paul. “It’s a status move that heals things like burns, poison, and paralysis.”

“And you know how to use something so cool?!” I gasped down to Mom Eevee. She replied with a smile, making me smile back. “Well, thanks a lot. I owe you one. Do the other Eevee all know?”

She and Paul both shook their heads. “No. This Eevee doesn’t now,” we both watched the baby Eevee struggle to copy her mother’s moves, failing miserably, “so I can’t imagine any of the others do.”

“Ah, well. That’s what makes mom so special, huh?” I crouched to scratch Mom Eevee’s head, prompting a cry of joy. “It’s good news knowing we have a healer on the team.”

“Speaking of good news, I’ve got some more. You wanna hear?”

Very curious, I stared up at him. “What is it?”

He revealed two lanyards from his bag, both of which held laminated cards. “These are our passes for entering the gym tomorrow. We’re the Gym Leader’s first challengers for the day.”

I sprung back onto my feet in surprise. “You serious?!”

“Yep.”

“Wow, Paul! How the heck did you pull that off?”

“I just went to the gym and asked about reserving a couple spots as early as possible for tomorrow morning. Here.” He tossed one of the lanyards to me. “Make sure not to lose it.”

“Like that’ll ever happen. Here, Luxio. You hold it.” I fastened the lanyard around Luxio’s neck. “Now, I can’t possibly lose it. Did you find out what kinds of Pokémon the Gym Leader uses here?”

Paul sighed in frustration and scratched his head. “No. Everyone here has their lips sealed shut for good. It looks like we won’t know until our battle.”

“Damn. I guess there won’t be any planning. Then, next order of business! Food! Who’s hungry?”

Everyone responded with enthusiastic cheers. Luxio, Pikachu, Dratini, Ponyta, Grotle, and both Eevee were all stoked about our next meal.

“There’s a noodle shop just up the street,” said Paul. “And it looked pretty decent.”

“Lead the way to the noodles!”

We headed straight to the noodle shop. All twenty-seven Pokémon, Paul, and I took down an entire buffet of dishes to ourselves. I stuffed myself to the brim. I needed the energy for whatever I’d face in tomorrow’s battle.

Maybe I’d even get to use my new Ponyta!


	33. Fuchsia's Famous Funhouse

The next morning, Paul and I arrived at the Fuchsia City Gym as early as possible. I brimmed with confidence for my battle, having gotten plenty of sleep. Now, I stared at a building styled like an old-fashioned mansion.

Unfortunately, the front doors were closed.

“Well, we’re here. What do we do now?” I asked.

“Not sure exactly,” replied Paul. “The doors were closed yesterday, too, but this was where a lady handed out our passes.”

Cupping my hands over my mouth, I projected my voice as loud as possible. “Hello! Is anyone there? We’ve come to challenge the gym! We reserved two spots for battles this morning.”

Right after my call, the gate slowly creaked open.

“Hi, there!”

Hearing the sudden voice from behind us, I screamed and jumped away. A woman appeared seemingly out of nowhere. She wore a black ninja outfit with a red scarf and hair pulled back by a hairband.

“H-H-Hello…”

“I thought you said you’d be here when we got here,” said Paul, ignoring my outburst.

“You two know each other?”  _ And why does that upset me? _

“Of course. Janine’s the one who gave us these passes.”

The lady giggled. “Fufufu. Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. My name’s Janine. My father is the Gym Leader in this city. I’m training to use Pokémon as well as him, so I work as his apprentice and help the challengers.”

“Yeah, you said that before,” groaned Paul as though he spoke to a broken record. “Where is your father? Can we battle him now?”

“He’s just inside. But, I’m going to have to ask only one of you to go at a time.”

“One at a time?” we repeated.

“It’s part of the challenge here at the Fuchsia Gym. Only one challenger at a time. The others have to wait outside. If you guys came later, you’d witness the huge line that always forms right here at the front gates. Teehee!” She suddenly got close to Paul. “And the only reason I gave you passes is that this one is so cute!”

“Huh?” I muttered, blinking rapidly, and yet my chest felt a sudden tightness.

Paul nervously coughed, “I’m flattered. Can we change the subject now? If it’s the rule, do you want to go first, Rosa?”

Pressing my lips together, I made a face and folded my arms. “Oh, I bet you want me to go first, don’t you? That way, you can spend all the time in the world out here with her.”

A blush swept across his face. “What?! That’s not it! It’ll just give me extra time to come up with a balanced team!”

“And why would that matter anyway? You jealous?” smirked Janine.

My body went rigid. “N-No, of course, that’s not it! Hmph!” Tightening my jaw, I marched past them towards the open gym doors. “Well, if you insist, I’ll go. Come on, you guys. Let’s get our next badge!”

Pikachu and Luxio both hurried after me.

“We’ll be here when you get back!” yelled Paul, Janine, and Eevee, waving at us and wishing us good luck.

I waved back, a little annoyed at Janine clinging to Paul so much. “Yeah…”

The gate closed behind me, leaving me alone with just my three Pokémon.

“What the heck was that?” I asked myself, wondering why I felt so upset back there.

Pikachu’s cry snapped me out of it.

Turning to acknowledge her, I found Pikachu, Dratini, and Luxio curiously gazing at me. My speechlessness somehow invited their curiosity to turn into mischief. “D-Don’t look at me like that! Her voice just annoyed me a little. That’s all. Don’t get any funny ideas, you guys!”

They all snickered.

“Whatever. Come on. We have more important fish to fry.” Taking a deep breath, I faced the building ahead of us, locking my sights on the front entrance. “Here we go. There’s no turning back. Time to get our fifth Gym Badge!” We opened the doors and stepped inside.

And with a  _ kerchunk _ , they locked themselves behind us.

Back outside by the front gate, Paul looked uncomfortable with Janine so close and relentless on remaining that close. He kept glaring at her, hoping it’d scare her off. “Why are you so annoying?” he finally asked.

“Why are you so mean?” she whined before lunging at him. “All I want to do is—”

He put his hand over her face to stop her. “Don’t finish that sentence!” Paul brushed her aside and headed away from the front gate. “I’ll be right back, so if Rosa finishes before I get back, tell her to wait. Okay?”

“Where are you going, Paul?”

“Into town!” He glanced over at the Eevee perched on his shoulder. “Let’s check out that shop we didn’t look in yesterday. It’s our only remaining hope. Otherwise, we’ll have to search in the next city we visit.” She nodded in agreement, smirking at Paul’s determination to find his mysterious item. He blushed after catching her devilish look. “And don’t get any funny ideas!”

★

My Pokémon and I found ourselves in a deserted entryway without any other signs of life. It was eerily quiet, sending shivers throughout my body.

“This is creepy,” I groaned. “Hello! Is anybody here?!”

No response.

Taking a few steps further into the building, I tried again, “Is anyone home?!”

Still, nothing.

“It seems deserted. Hello?!”

And still nothing.

“Hmm. Is this really the Gym?” When I leaned against the wall, I suddenly fell straight through it and landed on my rear end.

Luxio and Pikachu called for me, wondering where I disappeared.

“I’m here! That wall to your right is fake.” I kicked my foot against the boards, making the door revolve enough for my Pokémon to peer inside and find me. They hurried over to check on me. “I’m fine, thanks. Is this supposed to be some weird kind of secret door?”

Grinning wide, Pikachu repeatedly hit the revolving door with her tail.

“Hey, this ain’t no funhouse! Quit that, Pikachu!” Rubbing my sore bottom, I looked around. “Of course, if it isn’t a funhouse, what kind of crazy place is this? It sure isn’t your typical run-of-the-mill place—”

Luxio aggressively barked!

A fuzzy, purple Pokémon appeared at the far end of the room, staring at us with huge, red eyes.

“Hey, Dex? Help me out, will you?”

My Pokédex responded, “ _ Venonat the Insect Pokémon. Venonat is said to have evolved with a coat of thin, stiff hair covering its entire body for protection. It possesses large eyes that function as radar, allowing it to see in the dark and spot even minuscule prey. _ ”

“And that’s not a run-of-the-mill Pokémon.”

Just as we acknowledged it, the Pokémon hopped out of the room.

“Hey, wait up!” I rose to my feet and chased after it, spotting the Venonat now at the end of a hallway. “Where’s the owner of this place? You know, the Gym Leader? They are here, right?”

It glanced back and made a chittering noise.

“Do you want us to follow you? Is that it?”

Without another word, Venonat disappeared around the corner.

Just as I hurried around the same corner, I ran into the first of several mishaps. A potent jolt of electricity zapped the life out of me. I collapsed on the floor, arms and legs spasming from the attack. “Pikachu, I know you like to play games, but what was that for?”

With drooped ears, she shook her head.

“What? Then, who? It couldn’t have been—”

The fur on Luxio’s back quickly formed into needles as he hissed.

Sitting inches away from my foot, a Pokémon scowled at us and covered its body in yellow electricity. It resembled a Poké Ball.

“A Voltorb!!” I gasped in excitement, leaving all my Pokémon to wonder why I got so excited to see the volatile Pokémon. “Are you a wild Voltorb? Please tell me you are! I want to catch you so bad!” The Pokémon freaked out when I lunged at it and nearly exploded.

To avoid casualties, Luxio gripped my foot with his teeth and yanked me away from the explosive Pokémon. He, Dratini, and Pikachu gave Voltorb a wide berth as we carefully shuffled around it.

“But, the Voltorb! I’ve always wanted to know what their Self-Destruct attack feels like. It must be shocking.”

All of my Pokémon yelled at me for the terrible joke.

We continued down the hall, and upon reaching a flight of stairs, we hurried to the second floor. Unfortunately, Venonat had all but disappeared by the time we got there. “Where’d Venonat go?”

Pikachu pointed down the hall.

Venonat stood at the very end, staring at us with its huge eyes again.

“Hey, wait up!” I bolted straight towards the Pokémon and crashed into a wall I never saw, sliding down until I met the floor. “Ow… That...hurts… You don’t find invisible walls in any ordinary Pokémon Gym.”

Luxio suggested leaving while we had the chance.

“Okay. Let’s—”

Upon heading back the way we came, my forehead smacked into another invisible wall.

“Are you kidding me?! Another one?!”

Dratini helped me sit up.

“This is a dangerous place if you’re not careful. Do you think this is some sort of trap?”

While agreeing with my theory, Luxio also suggested this might be a test.

“You’re right. This is a Gym, after all.” I rose to my feet once again. “Maybe we’re supposed to find our way through this wacky funhouse.” Putting my hands up to the invisible walls, I thought for a moment. “Let’s use these as a guide.”

Keeping my hands on the walls at all times, I slowly let them guide us through a series of random hallways. We took abrupt turns and squeezed through narrow corridors, going around one sharp corner after the other. We ran into several more secret doors, traps in the floor, and false panels opening up to more hallways.

To my delight, we ran into several more Voltorb, and I bounced around, eager to catch one for myself. Unfortunately, my Pokémon dragged me away before I could investigate if they were wild Voltorb or not.

Finally, after an eternity of rights, lefts, and more rights, our path ended at a very simple dead-end. Two invisible walls sat on either side, and a wooden wall—which was not false—stood in front of us.

“There’s no way we missed a step. This has to be the end of the maze.” I slammed my fist against the wooden wall, hoping it’d open up with brute force. It remained as still as a typical wall should.

Dratini suggested the floor.

I backed up and looked for any separation lines, but saw nothing. I even tapped my knuckle against the floorboards. “Nope. This is an ordinary floor. Let’s see. It’s not the walls, and it’s not the floor, so what else could it be?”

Pikachu cried out and gestured to the ceiling!

I placed Luxio on my head, balanced Pikachu on his head, and supported Dratini on her head. With her long body and our efficient teamwork, she managed to reach the ceiling, and she smacked a square panel ajar with her rock-hard forehead.

My eyes popped out of their sockets. “It worked!”

After helping all three Pokémon through the hole, I scrambled up the wall and pulled myself up.

Taking a moment to catch my breath, we found ourselves in one final room. A shrine set up at the back, with candles and zen cushions lining the floor and a wall scroll hanging in the center. Rows of windows adorned the walls on either side. The candles possessed tiny flames, meaning that  _ someone _ was home.

“Okay, we’re here!” I hollered. “You’ve had your fun. Now give me my gym battle, please!”

After a moment, a deep voice chuckled.

“Fwahahaha!”

A Voltorb rolled out in front of the shrine, causing all of us to cry out.

“Yay! Another Voltorb!”

Luxio and Pikachu kept me from launching myself at the Pokémon as it exploded and filled the room with smoke.

A man appeared where the Voltorb previously stood, wearing a dark-blue ninja outfit. He held his hands in a ninja-like gesture. “I must commend you on getting here in one piece. Most of my other challengers tend to go home scared out of their wits or baffled beyond belief. And I had quite a bit of fun watching you obsess over my Voltorb.”

Five Voltorb rolled out beside their Trainer, smiling.

Though disappointed that they all had an owner, I smiled back. “Well, you see, I’m a huge fan of Electric-types, no matter how destructive they can be.”

“Indeed.” He took a step forward and straightened his posture. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Koga, known by many as the Poisonous Ninja Master, and I am the Gym Leader here in Fuchsia City.”

“My name’s Rosa. I’ve been waiting for our battle, and now, I’ll be taking my fifth badge!”

“Confidence is a must in all Trainers, but don’t underestimate the power of myself or my Poison-types.” He ripped off his cape. “Poison brings steady doom. Sleep renders foes helpless. Despair to the creeping horror of Poison-type Pokémon and the true terror of a ninja master!”

“Gladly!”

I set my bag down and selected a few Poké Balls containing Pokémon I thought would be most useful for battling Poison-types. Dratini popped out of the bag, upset that I didn’t choose her. “Hey! What did I say about jumping out like that? He’ll see you…!”

Dratini whimpered.

“Do not fear, my dear girl,” called Koga, bowing his head slightly. “I am a ninja. Keeping secrets is the foundation of our very lifestyle.”

I nodded my head back. “I suppose you’re right. Guys, keep her company, will you?”

Luxio and Pikachu happily nodded.

“Now, are we ready to begin?” Koga moved to the far end of the room.

I stood at the opposite end, putting ample battle space in between us. “But do we have a referee?”

Koga sheepishly rubbed his head. “Typically, that is the case, but my daughter is not here at the moment. She must be preoccupied with her Pokémon training. I’d hate to disturb her.”

“ _ Preoccupied with Pokémon Training, huh _ ?” I grumbled to myself.

“But, in reality, I do not feel one is necessary,” continued the ninja. “I play by the rules of all Pokémon battles, as I’m certain you do with four Gym Badges under your belt. We shall have a standard four-on-four, and there will be a victor when all Pokémon on either side are unable to continue. Furthermore, only you, the challenger, will be allowed to make substitutions during the match. Do you concur?”

“That’s fine with me!”

“Good. Then, here is my first Pokémon!” He sent out a Venonat.

“Ha! I know just who to use! Ponyta, go!” My pony emerged from his Poké Ball, excited for his first official battle. “Ponyta, let’s test our teamwork right here!” He huffed to make powerful flames erupt from his body.

“You may have the first attack, Rosa.”

“Gladly! Ponyta use Take Down!” Ponyta charged for Venonat.

The bug responded by using Ponyta’s head as a springboard. “Sleep Powder!” Venonat shook its fur to release a green mist from its body.

“Fire Spin!” Ponyta made quick work of the spores by incinerating them with his potent flames. “Now, use Flamethrower!”

“Psybeam!” After avoiding our attack again, Venonat scored a direct hit with Psybeam.

“Shake it off, Ponyta!” He shook his head and stomped on the ground. “Try another Flamethrower!” He opened his mouth and launched a stream of flames.

“Again, Psybeam!” Venonat repeated its attack.

The two attacks collided multiple times and canceled each other out.

However, Venonat failed to keep its distance as it carelessly bounced around the field.

“Hit it with Flame Wheel!” With scorching flames surrounding his entire body, Ponyta sprinted forward and plowed straight into Venonat.

It fell over unconscious.

“Alright! We scored first! Great battle, Ponyta!” He neighed and pawed the floor.

Koga recalled his Venonat. “I agree. A job well done, but now you must prepare for my second Pokémon. Please, come out now!” He tossed his next Poké Ball. A giant, blue bat flapped its wings and screeched at the top of its lungs.

Covering my ears, I hissed, “It kind of looks like Zubat. What is it, Dex?”

It replied, “ _ Golbat the Bat Pokémon, and the evolved form of Zubat. It has four sharp fangs it uses to drain ten ounces of blood per bite, and it emits supersonic waves more powerful than its previous form. Being nocturnal, Golbat fly at night in search of prey. _ ”

“Sounds more like a vampire than a ninja. Be careful, Ponyta!” He nodded and watched the opponent closely as it flew all around the room.

“Golbat use Wing Attack!” Golbat swooped down on Ponyta with Wing Attack, aiming for his head.

“Use Agility to dodge!” Ponyta increased his speed to dodge Golbat’s enormous wings. “I know that our speed alone won’t stop that fast bat, so let’s keep it away with Fire Spin!” Ponyta neighed and sent a vortex of fire into the air.

“Golbat use Screech!” Golbat opened its mouth and released thin, purple circles from its mouth, causing an earsplitting screech to spread across the room.

“Err, I can barely stand that noise! It’s giving me goosebumps!” I growled, covering my ears quickly. Ponyta folded his ears to tune out the attack as much as possible. The attack even affected my three Pokémon watching from the sidelines.

“Finish with Wing Attack!” In an instant, Golbat’s glowing wing collided with Ponyta to score a decisive blow. Thanks to Screech, Ponyta received enough damage to knock him out in one shot.

He collapsed in front of me. “Ponyta!”

“And that makes one point for me. Excellent job, Golbat!” The bat lifted high into the air and emitted more earsplitting screeches.

I quickly recalled my pony. “Don’t worry. You did awesome, too. A great first battle. I’ll handle it from here.” Eyeing my opponent’s speedy flying Pokémon, I knew who to use against it. “Okay, Zubat! I need your help!” Zubat zipped into the air, looking a little intimidated at witnessing her evolved form.

“Pitting a Zubat against a Golbat? An interesting choice, but possibly a foolish one.” He laughed in a mocking tone as Golbat sized up its opponent.

“Don’t underestimate someone just because they’re tiny. Zubat use Supersonic!” She opened her mouth and fired off a quick Supersonic.

“We’ll use Supersonic as well.” Golbat mimicked Zubat’s moves, but obviously, its attack rivaled ours in sheer power. It broke through our Supersonic and hit Zubat, making her spin around in confused circles.

“Shake it off, and go at ‘em with Wing Attack!” Vigorously shaking her head, Zubat gathered her bearings, enveloped her wings in a bright light, and launched herself forward.

“You, too!” Golbat quickly met Zubat at the center of the room and sent her flying back.

“You okay, Zubat?” She screeched in response and hovered above my head. I clicked my tongue. “Okay, maybe we can’t overpower them with sheer force. Maybe we can outspeed them instead? Zubat, show them your new move! Aerial Ace!” She performed a quick somersault before darting forward at the speed of light.

“Defend yourself by using Haze!” Golbat clouded the room in a thick haze, trying to avoid Zubat’s attack by hiding. However, to their surprise, Zubat easily navigated through the smoke and crashed into Golbat. Koga staggered back in surprise. “Impossible!”

“I think you’ve forgotten that a Zubat relies very little on their eyes, considering they have none. They instead rely on noises, and your Golbat makes a ton of it!” Zubat returned to my side and eagerly flapped her wings.

Koga cursed himself. “It  _ has _ been a while since my Golbat evolved. No matter, we’ll still defeat you with the added power of evolution. Attack with Quick Attack!” Glowing white, the larger bat dived for the smaller one.

“And we’ll defeat you with the added speed of being the smaller one. Use your Double Team!” Zubat quickly formed multiple copies of herself, all of which circled Golbat to leave it very confused.

“You must calm yourself in order to find the real one!”

“Don’t give them a chance! Confuse Ray!” Zubat’s body shone brightly, and the effect spread to all of the copies, not just one single bat. With Golbat unable to turn away, he became confused and began spinning in circles.

“Golbat! Snap out of it!”

“Aerial Ace once more!” Zubat performed another midair somersault before slamming into Golbat’s gut.

It drifted to the ground just before its Trainer.

“Make that two!” Zubat screeched as she landed on my shoulder. I rubbed her head. “All that work with Fearow paid off, huh?” She agreed with a four-fanged smile.

“Humph. I underestimated you and your Pokémon, Rosa, which means I have quite a bit to learn about Pokémon themselves. Now, here comes my third!” He launched the next ball.

Just like Golbat, this Pokémon quickly took to the sky as well, but it resembled nothing like its previous teammate. This moth had two pairs of pale purple wings, a body with varying shades of purple, and bulbous, round eyes that would frighten anyone scared of bugs.

Dex quickly provided its information. “ _ Venomoth the Poison Moth Pokémon, and the evolved form of Venonat. Venomoth are nocturnal. Their favorite prey are insects that gather around streetlights, attracted by the light in the darkness. Their wings release a highly poisonous powder. _ ”

“That means we better watch out for its spore attacks. At least you can’t get poisoned, though, so get in there.” Zubat lifted into the air and faced its opponent. “Let’s finish this quickly with Aerial Ace!” She took off at the speed of light.

“Psybeam.” Venomoth released not one but two multicolored beams from its eyes.

The super-effective attack scored a direct hit with ease, blowing Zubat straight into the ceiling. “Zubat!” I watched her fall to the ground unconscious, staring back at the moth with wide eyes. “A Psychic-type move?! And that was a powerful one, too!”

“You see, this Venomoth has plenty more experience than my Venonat, which makes it all the more powerful and deadly. Make no mistake, Rosa. We will not go down without a good fight.”

I returned Zubat to her ball and thanked her for a job well done. It was a tough choice picking who to face off against Venomoth, and possibly someone to go against Koga’s unknown fourth Pokémon. I still had two Fire-types, the best choice to put us at an advantage. However, I feared Venomoth revealing another deadly trick up its sleeve to combat its weakness to fire.

“Well then,” I selected my next Pokémon, “we’ll just fight fire with fire. Let’s go!”


	34. The Poisonous Ninja Master

With a flap of her beautiful wings, Butterfree rose to challenge Venomoth. Colorful sparkles came off her body after emerging from the Poké Ball, inciting looks of awe from everyone present.

“My, what a beautiful specimen of Butterfree.”

“Thank you. Much appreciated.” I felt confident with Butterfree’s wide variety of attacks at her disposal and selected one suitable for fighting a Venomoth. “Butterfree use Gust!” She whipped up a gust of wind with a few flaps of her wings.

“Deflect it with Silver Wind!” Venomoth’s wings glowed white, and upon flapping them, a wind with silver crescents in it was released, shooting right at Butterfree’s Gust. The two attacks rivaled each other in power and canceled out. “Now, Psybeam!”

“You use Psybeam, too!”

The energies collided, creating a cloud of smoke.

“Zen Headbutt!” Charging through the smoke with its head covered by a light-blue reflective shield, Venomoth slammed its head straight into Butterfree to send her crashing into the floor.

“Butterfree, are you alright?” She nodded her head and rose into the air. “Let’s go ahead and raise your defense a little with Harden.”

“It’s a waste of time. Venomoth use Toxic!” Venomoth fired a stream of purple liquid.

Upon coming into contact, purple bubbles emanated from Butterfree’s face. She cried out in pain as the poison quickly got to work, draining her health. “You’ve got to hang in there, Butterfree!”

_ Not this again! _

“Now, you’re battling against me and the clock—my signature strategy. Let’s see how well you fare against it. Venomoth use Zen Headbutt, again!”

I grit my teeth. “We won’t let him win! Stay strong, and let’s use Bug Buzz!” Butterfree cried loudly to create an annoying buzzing sound and release red sound waves from her body that spread out towards her opponent.

“Gust!” The two attacks collided.

“Again! Bug Buzz!” Despite the poison taking its toll, Butterfree repeated her attack with just as much strength.

“Silver Wind!” Venomoth fought back once again. However, this time, Venomoth started to show signs of fatigue, which allowed bits of our Bug Buzz to get through and score a hit. This concerned its Trainer. “Venomoth, are you alright?!”

“It’s starting to affect him! Gust, Butterfree!” She quickly attacked.

“Silver Wind!” So did Venomoth, but Gust bulldozed through its Silver Wind.

“It’s getting through! We can do this! Just hang on a little longer!” Despite hurting from the pain of Toxic, she strived to remain strong.

“Venomoth use Supersonic!” Venomoth began screeching, hoping to confuse us.

“Bug Buzz!” Butterfree’s Bug Buzz outmatched Supersonic and scored a clean hit.

“Shake it off and use Zen Headbutt!” Venomoth took a moment to concentrate, packed as much power into its head as possible, and charged.

“Meet them halfway with Aerial Ace!” She somersaulted before charging as well.

They met in the middle, immense power colliding with immense power. Neither bug refused to give an inch. I needed to provide Butterfree with the chance to overpower Venomoth and defeat it before Toxic took her out.

“Psybeam from right there!” Butterfree attacked at point-blank range. The combined energy from her attack and Venomoth’s Zen Headbutt resulted in a chain reaction ending with another massive explosion.

When the smoke cleared, both Pokémon had collapsed on the floor.

“A draw?!” Koga and I gasped in shock.

We recalled our Pokémon quickly. Then, I met Koga’s eyes for a moment and bared my teeth, understanding the suddenly high stakes for me. From his pockets, Koga retrieved his fourth and final Poké Ball.

“You’ve proven yourself so far, Rosa. You’re an excellent battler and strategizer. You have one Pokémon left to defeat, and if you do,” he revealed a scroll from his pocket. Pinned to the parchment was a pink heart, “then this Soul Badge will be yours.”

I swallowed hard, growing more determined than ever to win this final round.

“And this is your final opponent, my last Pokémon, and my number one partner. I’ve been counting on this one since the very beginning of my journey all those years ago. I sincerely wish you the best of luck!” He chucked the ball outward.

A bipedal, green Pokémon appeared before us. It had large, white scythes for arms, an intimidating glare, and a pair of wings on its back beating furiously. It roared at us and brandished its sharp arms, preparing to give its all.

The Pokédex only made me more intimidated: “ _ Scyther the Mantis Pokémon. Scyther is blindingly fast as it moves around like a ninja. Its blazing speed enhances the effectiveness of its attacks. The twin scythes on Scyther’s forearms can slice through logs in one stroke. _ ”

“Who the hell should fight that?” I muttered, trying not to imagine my Pokémon getting sliced in half.

“Well, who will be my final opponent?” asked Koga with the slightest smirk.

I took a deep breath and chose a Pokémon.

“Go, Charmander!”

She emerged from her Poké Ball with a vicious growl. However, her voice dwindled to a whimper upon seeing her opponent. She also feared getting sliced in half by Scyther’s bladed forearms.

“Charmander!”

She turned back and locked eyes with me.

I held out my fist. “I know you can do it! Let’s win that badge together!”

Nodding, she faced Scyther and released a powerful stream of fire into the air.

“Quite a feisty Charmander,” said Koga.

“You have no idea. Charmander use Flamethrower!” Charmander blasted Scyther with a powerful Flamethrower. “That’s it!” However, it remained standing after the attack. “Now, use Slash!” Charmander raced forward and slashed Scyther with glowing claws. The attack pushed the Mantis Pokémon back a considerable distance, but it stayed on its feet. “Flamethrower, again!”

“Razor Wind!” Scyther crossed its scythes, made them glow, and brought them forward. Multiple white, crescent-shaped energy beams fly at Charmander, overpowering her Flamethrower and sending her flying backward.

“Charmander!” I screamed as she flopped onto the floorboards.

“Now, we shall use Slash as well!” Scyther darted forward.

“You can still get up, right, Charmander?” She strained to return to her feet, only to look on as Scyther came in from nowhere and attacked. The fire-lizard collapsed in front of me once more, trembling from the damage. “Come on! You’ve still got some energy left! Let’s get back in there!”

“While they’re at it, use Swords Dance!” Scyther crossed its bladed arms in front of its body in the form of an “X.” Then, it struck a pose, causing the scythes to glow a faint red.

My heart rate increased at the same time as Scyther’s attack power. “We’ve got to hurry and shut Scyther down before it can land a hit. Fire Fang!” Red-orange fire covered Charmander’s mouth, and with fangs bared, she charged for Scyther.

“Slash, again!” This time, Scyther moved too fast to see, leaving a trail of red light in its wake as it prepared to strike.

Charmander collided with Scyther at the last second, biting down on one of its glowing forearms to halt the attack and inflict some super-effective damage. I had hoped it’d be enough to knock Scyther out of the match due to its rather low defense stats, or get lucky and burn the Pokémon at least.

But things worked out far worse than I imagined.

With her teeth locked on Scyther’s arm, Charmander got stuck in place, and Scyther would overpower her if she let up even a little. Meanwhile, Scyther had one of its arms free, and I failed to account for that.

“Scyther! Slash!”

The second Slash attempt landed directly on Charmander’s head, sending her flying backward thanks to the astonishing boost in power.

“Charmander! You okay?!”

She had to put everything into standing, and she did, refusing to give up.

I reminded myself not to forget my Pokémon’s incredible willpower. “Right. Of course, you can go on. You’re super strong. As long as you can still fight, we can win. If we can slow Scyther down even a little, or combat those scythes with a strong-enough attack, we might have a shot. Slash, again!” She growled and charged again.

“Dodge and use Swords Dance!” Scyther jumped far away from Charmander and then powered up again.

“We have to end this quickly! Fire Spin!” Charmander launched the attack.

“Razor Wind!” Razor Wind deflected our Fire Spin. “Now, Slash!”

“Use Smokescreen!” Charmander blanketed the room in smoke to obstruct Scyther’s vision and protect herself from the incoming attack.

“It’s a waste of time. Scyther use X-Scissor!”

To my horror, Charmander hurtled out of the smoke cloud. It billowed away in her wake, revealing our opponent with glowing forearms and wings beating rapidly to keep itself hovering above the floor.

Once again, Charmander ended up at my feet. With all the damage taken so far, it became clear that she wouldn’t last much longer if she received another heavy blow, with or without a potential third usage of Swords Dance.

“Charmander, you can do it! I believe in you! No matter what way you look at it, Scyther is getting tired, which means your attacks are getting through. If we can hold on, we’ll win. This is an endurance match, so, please! Endure it with me!”

Growling, she stood up straight.

And the flame on her tail started to grow!

“Scyther use X-Scissor!”

It proved itself not very effective against Scyther, but I still called the only move that provided Charmander with a way to safely intercept her opponent’s attack. “Counter with Slash!” Crouching, my fire-lizard took off with glowing claws.

_ Clang! _

The sound of clashing metal reverberated throughout the room. Scyther’s blades connected with Charmander’s claws— _ which glowed silver?! _

With Scyther held back, I took advantage of the shock on Koga’s face.

“Fire Spin!”

Charmander blasted Scyther with a point-blank vortex of fire.

Scyther fell back in front of its Trainer. It managed to get up with plenty of energy for the battle, but third-degree burns now adorned its lithe body. The Pokémon panted heavily with sweat running down its temple.

On the other hand, Charmander got her second wind. She emitted a howl that shook the floorboards beneath my feet. I would’ve been more startled, but I was still trying to wrap my head around the unexpected new move.

“Was that Metal Claw? Where… When did you…?”

She gazed back at me and held out a thumbs-up, before beginning to glow!

Everyone watched in amazement as Charmander doubled in size. Her orange scales darkened to a striking shade of red, but she retained her cream underbelly, claws, green eyes, and the roaring flame on her tail’s tip.

When the light faded, she roared louder than ever before.

“You’ve evolved into Charmeleon!”

“Marvelous!” gasped Koga.

Charmeleon launched a massive Flamethrower into the air to demonstrate her new power. Her flame for battle reignited, which in turn reignited my own will to fight. It was as I predicted: if I believe in my Pokémon, they’ll believe in me, and we’ll win.

“I hear you loud and clear. Let’s win this thing, Charmeleon!” She growled menacingly and took a stance. “Fire Spin!” She attacked, possessing far more power than in her previous form.

“Razor Wind!” The attacks collided, but Fire Spin managed to overpower Razor Wind just enough to knock Scyther off-balance.

“Now, Metal Claw!” She zipped forward.

“X-Scissor!” The two attacks clashed, and again, Scyther got overpowered.

“Fire Fang!” She enveloped her fangs in fire and went in for a finishing blow.

“End this with Hyper Beam!” The Hyper Beam sounded like a missile as it attempted to finish up the match quickly.

“Dodge!” Charmeleon leaped high over the immense attack. We both smirked at the fact that Scyther was now nothing more than a sitting duck. “Finish with Metal Claw!” My Pokémon came down with glowing claws, struck Scyther on the head, and pushed it right into the floor, getting payback for being attacked in the same manner earlier.

And just like that, Charmeleon finally managed to take Scyther down.

Koga was speechless as his Pokémon collapsed in front of him, unable to get back up.

“And four,” he announced with a defeated tone.

“That’s four?!” The excitement spread through my body like wildfire. “That means we won! We won! We actually won! Alright!!”

Luxio, Pikachu, and Dratini all cheered together.

The Gym Leader took a knee as he recalled Scyther. “Ah. Thank you for a great battle, old friend.”

Charmeleon stood on the battlefield, completely exhausted. She tried to walk back over to us, but lost her balance and tipped over. I caught her in my arms and lifted her into the air with a huge smile. “You did it, Charmeleon! You were fantastic! Thank you so much!” She grinned as I enveloped her in a bone-crushing squeeze.

“I subjected you to everything I could muster,” Koga said as he stepped over to us. “But my efforts failed, and I must work to hone my skills. You, Rosa, have proven yours. Please accept this Soul Badge, and go on to put your abilities to the test even further.”

The pink heart badge sat in his hand, reflecting the sunlight from the windows.

“Thank you so much, Koga.” I bowed before accepting the badge and admiring the small metal piece in all its glory. “It’s our fifth one, you guys. We’re officially more than halfway there.”

All the Pokémon exchanged happy smiles.

“You are a fine Trainer, Rosa,” continued the man standing before me. “It was a privilege to battle you. I hope you continue on this path together with your Pokémon, and go all the way to the Pokémon League.”

“I promise I will. I plan to become the first-ever Pokémon World Champion, and I’m going to work hard to get there.”

He nodded with a smile. “Hmm. With an attitude like that, you’d make a fine ninja, too.”

I laughed. “Really? I always thought that’d be pretty neat.”

Koga gave a light chuckle. “Now, I’ll have someone escort you back outside. The maze is only to test the challengers who haven’t proven themselves. You have definitely proven yourself, and I’d hate for you to be attacked by a Voltorb.”

“I wouldn’t mind that too bad. So, who’s going to be my—?”

_ Poof! _

“I am!”

I shrieked and fell on the floor. “D-Don’t do… Don’t do that anymore… Please…!”

Janine giggled like a child. “Fufufu. Sorry for scaring you again, Rosa. I’m here to lead you back to the front gate.”

Releasing a breath, I sheepishly grinned. “Ah… I see. Please. Lead the way, then!”

Unsurprisingly, a secret door sat on the wall behind the shrine. Janine opened it up and stepped through, gesturing for us to follow. Her dad bid me a farewell before using a Voltorb to vanish without a trace.

“A true ninja,” I muttered to my Pokémon, before hurrying after our guide.

In no time at all, we exited the main building through a side entrance hidden by a combination of trees, bushes, and natural viewing angles. Then, we went down a secret pathway, and suddenly we stood at the front gate. Janine hit a button on a remote to open it.

“So, did you have fun battling my dad?” asked Janine. “He’s strong, isn’t he? I wanna be just like him!”

I nodded. “Well, you sure have a lot of work to do. He was really tough, especially since he challenges people to a four-on-four. We barely won, and it was only because of my Pokémon.”

“Ah, speaking of Pokémon, I have to extend a favor from my father. We ask that you don’t tell anyone of anything that happened inside the Gym. You can’t mention the Pokémon that my father used, or the maze. Got it?”

“Seriously?”

She winked. “Well, if everyone knew our secret, we wouldn’t be very good ninjas. Would we?”

Looking away, I made a face. “No. I suppose not.”

“Great. Thanks!” She suddenly grabbed my shoulders and pushed me through the open gate. “Now, you should go enjoy the few precious moments with your cute boyfriend before I take him away.”

My face burst into flames. “Boyfriend?! That’s not… Wait. Take him away? What do you mean—?!”

She cut into my sentence with, “Yoohoo! Paulie!”

I cringed.  _ Paulie?! _

Up ahead, Paul sat on a bench with Eevee. The two gazed at a handful of Poké Balls and spoke quietly to each other. A vein throbbed on Paul’s forehead when he registered Janine’s name for him.

“Didn’t I already tell you once to knock it off with the…?” Rising to his feet, he turned to lash at her in his usual grumpiness but went dead silent when his eyes fell upon me. His wide-eyed stare froze me in place. “O-Oh, Rosa. You’re back.”

The way he stared at me made my skin crawl—in an oddly warm and fuzzy way. With a shaky grin, I waved. “Yeah. I’m back, and I got my badge.” I brought out my badge case and opened it up. “See?”

The Soul Badge twinkled under the light of the morning sun.

“Nice going. So, will you tell me what Pokémon the Gym Leader used?”

“Uhh…” I awkwardly glanced at my shadow.

She grinned and replied for me, “Sorry. We’ve politely asked Rosa to keep her lips sealed as we do with all the challengers. It keeps the challenge fresh. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be much of a challenge, would it?”

“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”

“Good. Well then, Paul, it’s your turn now. Just go on in whenever you’re ready.”

“Sounds good.” With a nod, he turned to me. “You gonna stick around and wait? Or you can head back to the Pokémon Center if you want. I can’t imagine I’ll be too long if you finished up so quickly, and your Pokémon probably need to be treated anyway—”

“No, I’ll wait for you.”

Everyone stared at me, alarmed at how fast I responded.

Realizing that my lips had moved for me, I shuddered and shielded my embarrassed face from everyone’s gaze—especially Paul’s, the only one that seemed to matter at the moment. “I-I-I mean, m-my Pokémon do need some treatment, but it’s nothing I can’t handle by myself. W-We’ll wait for you to come back, okay?”

He seemed oddly happy to hear it. “I’ll accept that as your way of saying good luck.”

“U-Uhh… Uh…” I forgot how to talk. Janine’s muffled giggling made it worse.

_ What the HELL is wrong with me? Am I sick? Stand up and talk straight, dammit! _

Not at all noticing my rampant blush or my nervous body language, Paul approached me and gently tapped a fist against my head. “Then, wait for me to come back, you dope.”

I glared. “Who are you calling a dope, dope?”

He moved around me and headed for the gates, waving over his shoulder.

Janine hit the button to close the gates, causing Paul to disappear once again.

“Good luck...” I wished I’d said it out loud.

And then, the moment we heard the gates lock up...

Janine, Luxio, Pikachu, and even Dratini burst with laughter!!

They all rolled on the ground, not a care in the world about the dirt collecting on their bodies. They had waited too long. They covered their mouths and stifled their laughter for as long as possible, and it reached a breaking point. They needed to laugh—the kind of laugh that makes tears stream down your face—and they needed to laugh at  _ me _ .

“Quit getting funny ideas, you guys!!!”

I huffed and went to sit on the bench, distracting myself with all the Pokémon on my team that needed medical attention.

_ Janine is just putting weird thoughts into my head. I have to ignore them. I have to! _

Unfortunately, my eyes kept moving back to the wooden gate like a pair of magnets.

_ They’re just weird thoughts. They’re just weird thoughts… Aren’t they? _

After finishing her laughing fit, Janine teased me for a while about Paul. I denied all accusations of us dating or me having a crush, but she wouldn’t give it a rest. At least until she suddenly hurried off to the Gym, climbing over the walls like a trained acrobat.

“She really is a ninja,” I said, relieved that she finally left me alone.

Pikachu and Dratini eventually fell asleep, considering we woke up so early.

Luxio remained awake, however, and continued Janine’s work.

“You’re kidding me, right? Of course not! In the first place, I’m still not totally over what happened between us. You know that.”

He gave a halfhearted nod.

“And besides,” I gazed at the ground, “you should know I can’t handle it...”

Silence fell between us.

★

After about half an hour, the gates opened up again. I stirred from my nap just as Paul stepped through them. Eevee perched on his shoulder, cheerfully wagging her tail back and forth.

“Hey, Paul’s back,” I announced to the others.

They spotted us and made a beeline over to our bench. “There you are.”

My head tilted. “What do you mean? We’re right where you left us, right? Did you get your badge?”

“Don’t tell me you underestimated me.” He revealed an identical Soul Badge.

“Yay! That means we both have our fifth badges now!” Eevee nodded with a broad smile before tackling Luxio with a tight hug, much to his annoyance. It made me laugh. “We weren’t separated for that long. You must’ve missed him, huh?”

Paul suddenly rubbed his head with a painful groan.

“Let me guess. You ran into a few roadblocks?”

“A few? I was crashing into invisible walls every other second, and then those Voltorb kept popping out of nowhere.”

“Weren’t they awesome?!”

“No, not really. All I remember is getting zapped over and over.”

“Exactly! Oh, but sorry that I couldn’t warn you. Janine made me swear not to tell you or any others about Koga’s Pokémon or the funhouse maze.”

“Nah, that’s alright. After going through that, I get it.”

“Where is Janine, anyways? She didn’t follow you out?”

“She did for part of the way, but then she disappeared.” He glanced back at the gate. “I think she said she was going to take care of the other challengers soon to arrive and help her dad with tending his Pokémon. They sure went through some intense battling.”

I agreed with a smile. “Sure did. They certainly put us through the wringer. You want to head back to the Pokémon Center to give our teams a proper rest?”

“Sounds good. Oh, but I wanted to show you something first.” He shuffled through his belt of Poké Balls and selected one.

“What is it?”

A Pokémon emerged from the ball, a monstrous green and brown tortoise with a tree plastered to its back. It turned its head towards me, and with red eyes piercing my soul, it howled loud enough to cause tremors.

In my excitement, I nearly forgot how to breathe. “Grotle evolved?!”

“Sure did. We had a few practice battles while waiting for you, and he evolved after one of his wins. I used him against Koga’s Muk, and he didn’t even break a sweat.” He placed a hand on Torterra’s side, who responded with a confident roar.

I took a moment to look up Torterra on my Pokédex.

“ _ Torterra the Continent Pokémon, and the evolved form of Grotle. Torterra is the final evolved form of Turtwig. Occasionally, small Pokémon gather and build their nests on Torterra’s unmoving back. In ancient times, people imagined a giant Torterra dwelling beneath the ground. _ ”

“That’s so cool!” Putting away the device, I crouched in front of Torterra’s face. “I bet you feel all sorts of powerful, huh?”

After bellowing in agreement, he used two green vines to pick me up by the waist and sit me on his back. I ran a hand through the grass on Torterra’s back, amazed how it resembled the real stuff.

“I never thought I’d be on a Torterra’s back before. I can’t believe this is real grass!”

The other Pokémon quickly joined me.

The giant turtle seemed completely unbothered by us trampling on him.

Paul sure did, though.

“Hey! This isn’t playtime!” he snapped. “And I can’t keep Torterra out in the middle of the road like this.”

“Quit whining and join us up here. And we can easily move Torterra out to the fields somewhere. Just think! Now, we don’t have to sleep on the ground anymore! Would you be alright if we slept in sleeping bags on your back from now on, Torterra?”

He calmly nodded his head.

“Yay!”

“Torterra, don’t encourage her. Now, return.”

Once Torterra disappeared, my bottom smacked against the ground. “Ow. That’s twice today.”

“Don’t act like such a kid.” He held out his hand to help me up.

“Still, that’s great news. I have a new evolution to show you, too.” I grabbed Charmeleon’s Poké Ball and summoned her. Upon materializing in front of Paul, she struck a pose. “Introducing my new and improved fire-lizard! She evolved during our gym battle.”

“Congrats. Any new attacks?”

“Metal Claw, which we used to carve a path to victory. Right?”

Charmeleon responded with an enthusiastic high-five.

“And even better, you’re one step closer to Charizard. Ooh, I can’t wait till then. You’ll have huge wings, and you’ll be able to fly. It’ll make going from town to town much easier, for sure.”

Turning his head, Paul went silent to ponder something for a moment.

“What’s wrong?”

“Speaking of towns, I was just wondering where we should head next.”

“Well, before anything, we’re going to the Safari Zone to take Dratini home.” I took a moment to recall Charmeleon.

“I know that. I meant afterward. We should set a course for another gym.”

“Okay. But, where else are there gyms in Kanto?”

“Well, we know that there’s one in Saffron City, which is the closest. There’s one on Cinnabar Island as well. That one requires heading south of here until we reach the ocean and then taking multiple ferries.

I put a hand to my chin. “I think that’s a week-long journey involving a two-day pit stop at the Seafoam Islands. The entire way there and then back to the mainland will take a few weeks.”

“Well, there’s also a gym in Viridian City.”

“Is there?”

He nodded. “Some other Trainers were talking about it the other day. But, like Cinnabar, it’s pretty far from here.”

“What do you suggest then? Make our way back to Saffron?”

He shrugged. “It couldn’t hurt. It’ll take a while to get back there since we have to either cross this mountain range or go around it. Maybe by the time we return, Sabrina will return to her Gym, and we can challenge her.”

“Yeah, I bet she will have returned within that time. We’re talking two weeks, at least.”

“So, we agree on Saffron City?”

I vigorously nodded. “Saffron City, here we come! After the Safari Zone, of course.”

Paul laughed at my quick remark. “Right.”

We talked about Saffron the rest of the evening over bowls of spicy curry that made our tongues numb. I loved it and ate thirds! Paul barely had the stomach for one helping, so I carried his weight by finishing his meal.

“How the heck do you eat so much, Girlie?” he asked, hands stuffed in his pockets as we headed back to the Pokémon Center for the night. “You’re so puny.”

“I’m not puny!” I barked, threatening to kick him. I would have succeeded if he didn’t move out of the way. “I’m an inch shorter than an Empoleon and weigh as much as a Hippopotas.”

He held back a smirk. “How much does a Hippopotas weigh?”

The self-restraint required to not kick him was astounding. “It’s only 109 lbs, you jerk!! And for the last time, don’t call me that!”

“Whatever. So, tomorrow we’re hitting the Safari Zone, right?”

I nodded, eyeing Dratini as she rested her head on my shoulder. “Yep. At this time tomorrow, Dratini will be in her proper home and live a life of luxury. I’m sure of it, and I’ll see to it no matter what happens. Okay?”

She calmly mewled before retracting herself into my bag and falling asleep.


	35. Into the Safari Zone!

The sun barely rose up over the mountains when we left the Pokémon Center, painting the sky a blend of orange and pink. I insisted on making the trip to the Safari Zone on foot, because who could pass up an opportunity to enjoy the scenic route?

The gentle colors of the dewdrops on leaves. The crowing of sleepy Pokémon, some enjoying the morning light far more than others. The beauty of nature without the distraction of the usual city sights. My nose was overwhelmed by the scent of trees and plants freshly watered by misty rains in the night.

It was a good kind of overwhelming.

Despite the day’s predictable sunny weather, my chilled arms begged me to find a jacket and slip it on. If I didn’t, the autumn air would not be merciful, but I suppose that’s the curse of an impending winter.

Paul scoffed as I zipped the jacket up to my collar. “Is this the same girl who loves standing in the middle of rainstorms?”

I marched alongside him with an unwavering smile. “Shut up. I’m used to warm, humid summer storms. You know, any storm that has a chance at producing thunder and lightning? I’m not as good with the cold. I’ll start to shiver eventually.”

“Better think about getting a thicker jacket when it starts to snow, then.”

“Maybe I’ll get one on the way back into town tonight. But for now, who cares? I have to focus on more important things!”

I proceeded forward with a skip in my step. We were on our way to Kanto’s famous nature preserve, the Safari Zone, a place where wild Pokémon roam free just waiting to be captured. I felt like a child heading to her own birthday party, which led me to sing about the day’s future adventures:

_ I’m gonna catch some Pokémon! _

_ I’m gonna catch some Pokémon! _

_ Paul’s going to get way less than meeee! _

_ I’m gonna catch ‘em all! _

Paul fought back a smirk as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Oh, it’s a competition now, huh? You should know that I do great outta spite, especially when it comes to catching strong Pokémon.”

His subdued amusement widened my grin. “Well, I have a theme song now, so I’ll win.” I continued to create more and more verses to my theme song, and all the Pokémon joined in at various points.

Paul couldn’t help but growl when even Eevee joined in. Of course, if he was really upset, he would’ve said something.

And he didn’t.

After a half-hour walk, we arrived at the Safari Zone entrance. There first was the gatehouse, the only building for miles. It had magnificent, blue-stone roofing, half-timbered exterior walls, an array of windows, and a raised wooden deck granting access to the front door.

The gatehouse sat beside a wooden fence standing thirty feet high at least. This fence stretched out like a couple of arms, extending in either direction and encompassing the Pokémon-filled grasslands hidden on the other side of the thick, wooden planks. An archway hovered above a gate with a sign reading: “Safari Zone - World’s Greatest Pokémon Preserve!”

I pumped my fist into the air.

“ _ Here we are, yeah! I’m going to get all sorts of Pokémon, yeah! _ ”

Paul practically begged, “C’mon, stop singing, will ya?”

“ _ This song will never end if you keep that up, yeah, yeah, ye—! _ ”

“Shut up!!!”

The Pokémon, Paul, and I flinched, covering our ears at the loud scream.

An old man had emerged from the gatehouse. “I don’t want to hear your bad singing!”

I glared back. “What’s wrong with you? It’s just singing!”

An aggressive Magneton hovered at the old man’s side. He revealed a revolver strapped to his hip, flicking the hammer with his thumb. “I wouldn’t recommend becoming a nuisance in my presence.”

My eyes sparkled. “Ooh, a Magneton!! Look at the way it lights up when it’s about to—Mmph!”

Paul threw a hand over my mouth. “Zip it! We’re very sorry, sir! There won’t be any singing! Not from me, anyway, but no hard feelings if you shoot this idiot.”

I bit his hand and shot him a nasty glare. “Way to have my back.”

After a moment, the old man pulled his hand off the gun and motioned for his Magneton to stand down. “Well, you two seem harmless enough. Welcome to the Safari Zone. I’m Kaiser, the caretaker of this safari and all the Pokémon living on it.”

My friend bowed his head. “The name’s Paul, and the lame-o here is Rosa.”

“Lame-o?!”

Ignoring our spat, Kaiser asked, “Are you both here for today’s Safari Zone trip?”

We both nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“Please follow me inside to get registered.” The old man headed for the front door.

“ _ Yay! We’re gonna finally get to _ —Mmph!” Paul silenced me again.

“Quit the singing, Girlie!”

I removed his hand from my face and dramatically sighed. “Ahh, I can’t help it! I’m way too excited about getting to catch all sorts of new Pokémon. Don’t you know how to have any fun, Paul?”

A vein throbbed on his forehead. “Well, if you’re gonna keep singing, at least remember the primary reason we’re here.”

“I know that, stupid. To bring a certain someone home, huh, Dratini?”

My bag shuffled, followed by a low cry.

“Just remember to keep quiet. Looks like there will be other people joining us.”

A few Trainers approached the Safari Zone entrance from other directions.

"You're right, so let’s hurry and register. I want a headstart on today’s Pokémon."

He agreed with a nod. “Definitely."

As we followed Kaiser through the door, I read the sign above it:

SAFARI ZONE REGISTRATION AND WARDEN’S HOME

The gatehouse interior looked like an old rustic home. There was a simple arrangement of sofas, chairs, and tables sitting atop old carpet. Various green plants broke up the mundane browns and oranges of the furniture and decor. A counter sectioned off a third of the room, and two closed doors sat behind it.

Kaiser was currently behind the counter rifling through drawers and cabinets. He treated us like we were invisible until we eventually approached the counter.

“So, the price is $500 per person,” he said. “Would you still like to register?”

“500?!” I gasped in shock.

Unfazed by my shout, the old man continued. “For six hours, you can roam the wide-open safari and catch any wild Pokémon you encounter.”

“Six hours? This must be an all-day thing, huh?” said Paul.

“Indeed. It starts at ten o’clock sharp and goes till four in the afternoon. I only hold one session a day to give the wild Pokémon in the park a chance to relax between encounters with all the Trainers.”

“Seems fair, but a little pricey, too,” I groaned, casting a glance at my Pokémon. “Paying for both of us means we’ll be broke for a few days. I don’t know if we can afford that on top of all the food and medicine we’re constantly restocking.”

Paul stepped up beside me, staring at the warden. “What does the fee cover, exactly?”

“It gets you thirty Safari Balls and a special fishing rod to be used in the Safari Zone.”

“Then, would it be alright to only pay for the price of one person and share the items?”

“Huh?” I was a little surprised at his negotiation.

The old man rubbed his chin with a scowl, and then nodded. “I suppose that would be alright, but that means a smaller amount of Poké Balls if you split the total thirty amongst yourself. Would that be alright?”

Paul turned to me. “Well?”

I grinned. “It saves us a few bucks, so sure.”

“Then, I’ll take that as your answer.”

After receiving our combined payment, Kaiser gave both myself and Paul a few registration forms to complete. He then handed us a small red basket filled with green Poké Balls, a fishing rod, and two pagers.

“Hey, look at these cool Poké Balls,” I said, eyeing the unique camo pattern on the upper half of the capture devices. “And that fishing rod, too. With these we can get…”

Kaiser suddenly whipped out his revolver and pointed it at my hand.

I quickly recoiled. “Maybe not?”

“The rule here is that you can only use these Safari Balls and that rod while inside the Safari Zone. Break the rules and I’ll make sure you’re banned for life.” His Magneton appeared behind him again and threatened to attack.

Before I could even speak, Paul pushed his way in front of me. “We understand.”

“Very good.” Kaiser took our forms and stuck them into a file cabinet.

While he did so, Paul glared at me. “Try not to get all starry-eyed at the cost of our lives.”

“Uh, hello? Electric-type enthusiast? A Magneton?”

He let out an aggressive sigh.

“Oh, that reminds me.” I retrieved Dex from my pocket. “Let’s register Magneton.”

Dex gave me Magneton’s information: “ _ Magneton the Magnet Pokémon, and the evolved form of Magnemite. Its anti-gravitational powers allow it to float, and it can emit powerful magnetic and electric fields. Earaches will occur if you get too close. _ ”

“Well, everything’s all set.” Kaiser pushed the basket towards us. “You’ll find all thirty Safari Balls in this basket, and this fishing rod is strong enough to reel in any Pokémon you might find out here in the Safari Zone.

“These pagers are used to relay messages between myself and the Trainers. I can keep track of the Trainers’ whereabouts and let know when time is almost up. With their location being tracked, I can find them and bring them back here if necessary, whether their time is up or they’ve used up all of their Safari Balls or I’m just growing suspicious.”

“Bring them back? How?” I asked.

Clicking the button on a Poké Ball, a huge bird materialized at his side. It had brown feathers all along its body, and a decorated crest on its head with red and yellow feathers, plus a sharp beak and terrifying talons.

“My Pidgeot helps me with that,” said Kaiser, rubbing the bird’s head. “He can cover the entire span of the park in a few short minutes and is able to find anyone with his excellent eyesight.”

My eyes popped out of their sockets. “Wow! I’ve never seen a Pidgeot before!”

Dex gave me information on the magnificent bird: “ _ Pidgeot the Bird Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pidgeotto. Pidgeot is the final evolved form of Pidgey. This Pokémon has gorgeous, glossy feathers that make it a popular choice amongst experienced Trainers. It can fly at Mach-2 speed at an altitude of nearly one mile. _ ”

The bird also impressed Paul, who said, "That’s quite a Pokémon.”

"Indeed. My Pidgeot has been a huge help protecting the place, especially since those crooks got into the park.”

My fascination with Pidgeot came to an abrupt halt at the mention of the word “crooks.” I felt a sudden tingling at the base of my neck. At the same time, my pulse increased, and I wanted to know more.

“Crooks?” I repeated.

“Yes. You see, four weeks ago, I woke up in the night to the cries of many antsy Pokémon in the park. Magneton and Pidgeot both alerted me to trespassers, but when we went out to investigate, we found nothing but a few footprints that didn’t lead anywhere.”

“Did they take any Pokémon or cause any damage?”

Kaiser shook his head. “I scoured every inch of the place and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Nobody was missing, and the park looked exactly the same. Thus, I concluded that it was just a couple of foolish kids pulling pranks who ended up getting scared off by a safari Pokémon. I’d have to guess it was either a Rhyhorn or a Tauros. They are known to charge at anyone who spooks them.”

My stomach churned.  _ Foolish kids, huh? _

Kaiser’s attention moved to the front entrance after the doorbell rang. “Ah. Looks like there will be others joining us for today’s excursion. Apologizes, but we’ll have to cut this conversation short. Please wait in the lobby or outside on the deck until it’s time.”

We grabbed our items and stepped away from the counter.

“I got a bad feeling about this,” I murmured, loud enough only for Paul to hear.

“I agree,” he said as we claimed two lobby chairs furthest from the counter. “Trespassers here in the Safari Zone around the same time Dratini was taken from her home? That can’t be a coincidence.”

“You’re right, Paul. The universe is rarely that lazy. She’s barely four weeks old, which means that she would’ve been a defenseless, unhatched egg at that time.” My teeth gnashed together as I considered the only possibility that added up. “There’s no doubt in my mind anymore.”

Pikachu and Luxio whined, ears and tails drooping.

“Dratini really did come from here, and she was taken by Team Rocket.”

“There’s one factor that might disprove our theory, though,” he pointed out. “Kaiser said nobody was missing when he checked up on all the Pokémon in the park, and he doesn’t seem like someone to forget to count a Pokémon that rare.”

A lightbulb turned on in my brain. “Simple. There has to be more than one, then.”

“What? You think there’s a nest somewhere in the park?”

“Possibly. I mean, there’s at least a mother. How else do you get a Dratini egg?”

He rubbed his chin. “Fair enough. There’s only one way to find out for sure. We have to find that nest and confirm once and for all whether Dratini came from the Safari Zone or not.”

I nodded. “Right.”

As I gazed at the bag locked in my grasp, an animalistic growl escaped my throat.  _ That despicable Team Rocket. Giovanni, too! I’ll never forgive any of them! _

While waiting for the other Trainers to register, the Pokémon, Paul, and I admired the old photograph collection adorning the interior walls. Each frame held impressive shots of Pokémon living in the Safari Zone. We identified a Rhyhorn, a Venomoth, a Mankey, and a Scyther, amongst many others.

The picture at the center of the group caught my eye.

“Hey, Paul, come here for a sec. Look at this!” I gestured to the photo.

A blue serpent and a young man smiled at me, standing side by side like old friends.

“It’s a Dratini,” he gasped.

“Really? A Dratini? Lemme see! Lemme see!”

The other Trainers swarmed around us to get a close-up look at the Dratini picture for themselves. One of them carelessly plucked the frame off the wall, and the others flocked around him. “So, I guess the rumors of a Dratini living here are actually true!” the kid, Richard, exclaimed with a wide grin on his face.

“That’s promising!” chimed one of his friends.

Having been shoved to the back of the group, Paul and I stuck our heads over their shoulders to get a better look.

“Kaiser, is this you with the Dratini?” I asked.

“He looks so young!” giggled a girl named Livvi.

Out of nowhere, the warden leaped over and snatched the photograph from the first trainer’s hands. He screamed in everyone’s face, “No!! There is no Dratini here in the safari!! Absolutely not!”

His actions only raised our suspicions.

“But, it’s here in this picture?!” protested Richard.

The warden’s scowl deepened, and Magneton floated up above his head with yellow sparks shooting off its body.

“Hey, hey!! Okay, I get it! There is no Dratini here!” The boy flinched and backed away from Kaiser’s intimidating scowl, which silenced the others just as effectively.

Kaiser stormed away, disappearing behind one of the back doors.

Livvi patted her chest and let out a deep sigh. “Why does he have to be so serious?”

“Beats me,” replied her friend.

“You mean, you don’t know?” asked one of Richard’s friends. “Thirty years ago, Kaiser found a Dratini in the Safari Zone, and Trainers from all over came to find it. They caught tons of other Pokémon in the process. That literally destroyed the entire Safari Zone, and since then, Kaiser has a rule permitting only the use of Safari Balls in the park.”

Richard’s mouth fell open in shock. “So, that’s what happened.”

“And what happened to Dratini?” asked Livvi.

“No one found it. The only trace of it left is in that photograph. I do understand the other Trainers, though. After all, it is a rare Pokémon. I mean, what if there really is a Dratini somewhere in the park?”

“Wouldn’t it be awesome to see a real Dratini?”

“Totally! I’d give anything just to catch a glimpse.”

“I would, too.”

“Me, too!”

“Can you imagine having such a rare Pokémon in your possession?”

“I’d do anything to get my hands on one.”

My eyebrows scrunched together. I worried deeply over the coveted Pokémon napping inside my bag.

Before my concern could escalate, a hand squeezed my shoulder.

“Don’t worry,” whispered a voice.

Paul had turned his entire body to face me and maintained strong eye contact.

“Everything will be fine,” he continued with a set jaw and a gleam in his eye. Then, a confident smirk crept onto his face. “We don’t have much to worry about from these lame-os getting in our way.”

A sense of calm and ease allowed my anxious mind to relax. My response was a single giggle bursting through my lips. “Your way of keeping me from getting discouraged, huh? By insulting others?”

“Depends. Is it working?”

“Maybe a little. Although, you may be right. They don’t seem like much competition, do they?” I whispered that last part, earning a vicious smirk from Paul.

“Think we’ll get more Pokémon than them, even with only fifteen balls each?”

I clenched my fist. “As future World Champion, I won’t lose!”

The Pokémon all shared our confidence.

★

About twenty minutes later, ten o’clock rolled around, and all ten slots had been filled for today’s Safari Zone excursion. Kaiser gathered everyone at the front gate for a briefing, which meant going over the rules and checking to make sure everyone had their equipment.

“I want to make sure everyone understands all the rules, so please pay attention!” called the old man, standing just before the wooden gate with his Pidgeot and Magneton. “Anyone who does not follow them to a T will be banned from this reserve as long as I see fit. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir!” replied the group.

“First, and most importantly, only the use of Safari Balls is permitted to catch Pokémon here, and you’ll only get the balls you’ve already received. Like all Poké Balls, they’ll break if a Pokémon breaks free from capture. Use them wisely.

“Second, there’s no battling Pokémon with your own Pokémon. However, you are allowed to use your own Pokémon to find wild ones. Furthermore, in the case of a rampaging Pokémon, you are allowed to attack in self-defense, but that is the only exception. If you run into any other trouble, use your pagers to contact me. Pidgeot and I can reach anywhere in the park in less than a few minutes, and we’ll carry you back here where it's safe.

“Lastly, and this should be obvious. No going over the time limit. Any unused Safari Balls will deactivate on their own once the six hours end, and all Trainers must return to the gate by then. I’ll bring you back myself if you’re not accounted for, and let me tell you. You better be stuck in a ditch when I find you.”

We all shuddered at the thought, frozen in place with lips sealed shut.

“So, if we’re all clear on the rules, we may proceed.” Kaiser hit a button to open the gate behind him. “If you use up all Safari Balls in your possession before the time runs out, be sure to come back here.”

“Yes, sir!” answered the group like a trained choir.

“Now, please! Get out there and explore the Safari Zone to your heart’s content!”

Everyone filed through the gates like a herd of cattle, and the doors closed behind us.

Our six hours had officially begun!

All ten of us found ourselves standing before a vast plain stretching out for miles and miles. Umbrella-shaped trees dotted the landscape, as well as the occasional pond, patches of tall grass, and a thin river cutting across the safari. A lush green forest of towering trees and tangled roots positioned itself just beyond the plains, and beyond that, it was impossible to tell.

The size of the safari was impressive, but that’s not what caused everyone’s jaws to smack against the dirt.

“Just take a look at all these Pokémon!”

Richard’s cry of delight hit the nail on the head.

Clusters of Pokémon roamed the wide-open plains, grazing together or just minding their daily business. Birds flew overhead. Bugs scuttled across the ground, over dirt mounds, and behind boulders of varying sizes. They all were blissfully unaware that they had become targets for us ten Trainers and our collection of empty Safari Balls.

“This place is like a dream!” gasped one of the other Trainers, rushing ahead to take in more of this Pokémon paradise.

“Pokémon wherever you look!” squealed another.

“Are you seeing all of this, Paul?”

“You calling me blind?” joked Paul, studying the land to get an idea where to start our hunt. “There’s bound to be some good Pokémon just waiting to be captured.”

“For sure.” I took a second to set a timer on my Pokétch, and hooked the pager on my belt. “Alright. Six hours to catch a ton of Pokémon, and also complete our  _ secondary _ goal . ” The little serpent heard me and shifted from within my bag. “Try to stay still. I’ll let you out when nobody else is around.”

“If we have six hours total, I say we should start heading back here once we have two hours left. We’re going to need to be careful about the time.

“Not to worry. We’ll just keep an eye on the time as we’re going.”

“Look! Here they come!” someone hollered.

Paul and I turned, along with the rest of the group, to notice a herd of brown bulls charging straight at us. They possessed massive horns and whipped themselves with their own three tails each.

“What are those?” I asked.

Paul’s Pokédex gave us the information: “ _ Tauros the Wild Bull Pokémon. They fight each other by locking horns. The herd’s protector takes pride in its battle-scarred horns. After heightening its will to fight by whipping itself with its three tails, it charges at full speed. _ ”

The group of Trainers spread out in anticipation of the Tauros herd’s arrival.

“First catch of the day. Ready, Paul?” I called.

With a grin, he handed me one of the Safari Balls and readied one for himself. “Try to go for the ones at the front. No doubt, they’re the leaders and will be a whole lot stronger than the others.”

“Right!” I quickly placed a sticker on my ball. “And don’t forget the stickers so you can tell which one is yours.”

The bulls roared loudly, hooves thundering against the ground, and leaving a dust cloud in their wake. They got closer and closer with each second, ready to mow down anyone unprepared to move out of the way at the last second.

“I’m gonna get me a Tauros today! You’re mine!”

“Safari Ball, get it!”

Everyone hurled their Safari Balls at the Tauros. However, Paul and I made sure that we targeted the pack leaders, throwing our balls like trained pitchers. This was a race, after all.

First one to get to the stronger Pokémon wins.

And I’m not a loser.

With sweaty hands and anxious expressions, Paul and I watched our first successful captures in the Safari Zone. Our two Poké Balls shook three times and then clicked, the signal for us to celebrate.

“Alright!” Pikachu, Luxio, and I all cheered.

Paul ran over to collect the two Safari Balls and stow them in the basket. He took an extra moment to scan his new Tauros with his Pokédex, and he seemed very impressed with the results.

“Not too bad. Some powerful attacks,” he said.

“You were right to target the leaders.” I couldn’t help but grin when I overheard the others and their successful—or, in a few cases, unsuccessful—attempts to catch a Tauros. “So, let’s keep this up.”

“Just don’t let your guard down. Remember, there’s a limit to the Safari Balls.”

“I know that. Fifteen, well, fourteen Safari Balls for each of us.” I laughed. “Let’s make sure not to waste them all on Tauros. One is more than plenty.”

This time, a genuine laugh came out of Paul’s mouth. “Yeah. No kidding. Imagine wasting all your Poké Balls on nothing but Tauros, especially if you have all thirty. Talk about pathetic.”

I held my stomach. “I agree.”

“Ahhh!”

One of the girls screamed and nearly passed out as a Venomoth flew up to her. It was obviously curious about the Safari Zone visitors, fluttering around the girl as she leaned against her friend for support. The Pokémon was completely unaware of the hesitant Trainers surrounding it while simultaneously keeping their distance.

“Is she scared of a Venomoth?” laughed Paul.

“That is lame. It’s just a bug, unlike ghosts—which are actually scary.” The others’ hesitation to catch the Pokémon meant an opportunity for me. I rushed over and caught Venomoth in a Safari Ball, returning to Paul with a smile. “That’s two!”

“You sure didn’t waste any time catching it.” He took my Venomoth ball and scanned it, curious about its potential.

“Of course not. Koga used a Venomoth in my gym battle. It was super powerful, so I wanted one for myself.”

“Seems reasonable, and this one has some good attacks, too. Maybe I’ll catch one.”

“Good luck finding one as tough as mine.”

“That shouldn’t be hard.”

I pumped a fist into the air. “Now, let’s keep this up!”


	36. The Paths of Least Resistance

With only six hours to explore the Safari Zone, everyone split into smaller groups and headed to areas higher on their priority list. Time had to be used wisely if you wanted to capture the strongest, rarest Pokémon in the park.

Or more specifically, if you wanted to find a Dratini nest.

Unfortunately, neither Paul nor myself knew where to begin our search. The Pokédex provided us with limited information on the species’ preferred habitat. The device recommended searching around rivers, lakes, or significant bodies of water. Of course, the information also had a bit of subtext:

Dratini tend to be skittish and will flee at the slightest noise, so tread lightly.

“No surprise there, considering people hunt Dratini all the time,” I murmured.

Paul and I traversed the Safari Zone’s plains of dry grass that reached up to our waist. Luxio, Pikachu, and Eevee perched on our head and shoulders to avoid getting separated, and Dratini remained in my bag.

When nearing a sunny patch of soil, we encountered a group of orange Pokémon with large pincers, pale yellow eyes, and spotted mushrooms enshrouding their backs. They seemed rather unfazed by our appearance and continued basking in the sunlight.

Paul’s Pokédex analyzed them: “ _ Parasect the Mushroom Pokémon, and the evolved form of Paras. It battles using poisonous spores that spread from the mushroom canopy on its back. _ ”

“Good enough for me. I could use another Bug-type. Go, Safari Ball!”

The closest Parasect became Paul’s newest team member, reinforced by the results found on his Pokédex.

“This is a pretty strong one, too.” He spoke quietly to not startle the others.

“You’re not gonna do that the entire time we’re here, are you? We can’t waste a second.”

“What? Do you expect me to analyze them after? That’ll just be a waste of Safari Balls.”

“It would still be a waste if you went and released them here. The Safari Balls get used either way. Just keep them until we’re done. You can scan everyone back at the Pokémon Center, and any Pokémon you don’t want I’m sure other Trainers will be happy to receive.”

He smirked. “I bet they would. No way they’ll catch anything as strong as the Pokémon we get.”

“Exactly. Now, let's keep going."

The next Pokémon reacted much more violently than the Parasect.

Upon spotting us hiding in the bushes, this Pokémon swiped its foot against the ground, howled, and charged straight at us with its horn lowered. I burst from our hiding spot to meet the living bulldozer halfway, standing my ground.

“Sorry, but you’re coming with me, Rhyhorn!”

Unable to turn and get away in time, Rhyhorn became my latest capture.

An intense desire to jump in circles overcame me as I collected the ball. “Yes! I finally have my own Rhyhorn!”

“Rhyhorn?” Paul approached with both Pikachu and Eevee on his shoulders. Luxio walked at his side. “Isn’t that the basic form of a Rhyperior?”

“Correct. Here.”

I pulled up Rhyhorn’s Pokédex entry: “ _ Rhyhorn the Spikes Pokémon. Rhyhorn is covered in a tough armor akin to that of a tank, giving it incredible offensive and defensive battle skills. It recklessly charges ahead, trampling over anything in its way. _ ”

My eyes sparkled at the logged images of my latest team member. “Ever since I was little, I’ve wanted a Rhyhorn. Trainers always challenge the Sunyshore Gym with Rhyhorn or its evolutions since the entire family is such a good match against Electric-types. And of course, they’re cute, too!” I pumped my fist into the air multiple times. “Yay, I finally have one!”

After a moment, Paul shot Luxio a look. “Girlie’s clearly in her element, huh?”

He chuffed in agreement.

The tone of Paul’s voice caused my cheering to come to an abrupt halt. My smile vanished. My arms fell to my side like bricks.

“Hey."

Both of them snapped to attention upon spotting my glare—a combination of hurt and anger.

“I expected  _ him _ to be judgmental, not you.”

“Wait. Hold on. I didn’t mean it like—”

“Like what? What else could you have meant? I forgot you hate it when I act like that. Well, I won’t forget again.” Tucking Rhyhorn’s Poké Ball into the basket, I shoved my way through the tall grass. “Come on. Let’s see what other Pokémon we can find.”

There was an awkward silence.

The Pokémon’s eyes flickered between my back and Paul’s blank stare.

Watching me storm off left a tightness in his chest. He was regretful for sticking a foot in his mouth, again, and for jeopardizing his efforts to regain my trust. There was still a wide gap between us. That gap meant his light-hearted jokes would not be taken so lightly.

We didn't speak another word until we reached a fork in the road. Two dirt trails branched off from our position, cutting through the tall grass and working their way towards unseen destinations. I considered the possibilities of what would lie at the end of either path.

“Which do you think we should take?” Paul practically whispered his question as though scared of upsetting me any further. “We probably have enough time to explore them both, if you want.”

My head and heart argued over the options.

Yes or no?

The fact it was even a question saddened me...

“We have to find proof of Dratini’s home sooner rather than later, and with a set time limit, efficiency is key.” My hand slowly lifted and pointed to the left. “So, why don't you head that way and see what you find?”

"You mean, split up?"

"We can cover more ground that way.” The words came out of my mouth as fast as I could push them. I snatched a few Safari Balls from the basket and stowed them away in my pockets.

Paul wanted to protest, but he also wanted to avoid pushing me. “Alright. I’ll send you a message if I find anything. Come on, Eevee." He walked away without another word. Eevee waved at us.

Luxio and Pikachu waved back until the sound of Paul pushing through the tall grass faded into the distance. Then, they looked at me.

"I'm fine,” I retorted without meeting their gazes. “Come on."

We remained silent during our walk, listening to the dry grass as it rubbed against our legs.

I hardly paid attention to any of the Pokémon we encountered. Nothing new. We found a second pack of Parasect, a grazing Rhyhorn or two, and multiple Venonat. Nothing worth catching, at least.

My brain was overloaded by negative emotions. My skin felt tingly. My movements became clumsy, and I tripped a few times on absolutely nothing. My gaze bounced from place to place. Not to mention my sudden defensiveness, which I’m sure everyone picked up on.

I grit my teeth.

Paul said only a few words, just a few simple words that were meant as a harmless comment. However, that comment was enough to make me experience negative feelings and stop cheering over something that incited pure joy.

Should I allow him to do that? Of course not! I should be able to jump and dance around about whatever the hell I want.

But despite that, a part of me cared how he thought of me.

_ Why? Why do I care what he thinks of me? _

Fed up with my silence, Pikachu asked what was wrong, pulling me out of my head.

Taking a breath, I flatly replied, “I said I’m fine.”

She and Luxio saw right through my lie and called me out for it, refusing to let me pass.

“I just…” My fists slowly uncurled. I gazed at my shoes, feeling the conflicted thoughts slowly starting to ease up. “I just wanted a moment to clear my head. Paul really upset me back there, so I needed to be apart from him.

“But, I think I might’ve overreacted.”

Luxio pointed out that Paul wasn’t trying to be an ass.

“I… I know that. At least, I do now. I guess I’m just so used to being judged that I took it personally so fast, and my go-to defense mechanism is to push away the perpetrator. Paul said he doesn’t mind my happy, cheery, girly side, but I’d be lying if I said I completely believed him. Still, he has been working on it, and I’ll admit he’s come a long way since Celadon. I need to give him credit for that.

“Also, I got mad at you, Luxio, but I know you’d never judge me. I’m sorry.”

He accepted my apology with a shake of his head.

I crouched to pet him. “You’re the best.”

Pikachu reminded me of another apology I needed to make.

I took another deep breath and nodded. “Yeah, you’re right. So,” I sprung up onto my feet, “let’s go find him and apologize.”

Only then did I realize that Paul’s current location was a mystery.

“Oh, yeah. I pulled the classic ‘ _ Let’s split up, gang _ ,’ didn’t I?”

Pikachu smirked, telling me that I’d be able to find him based on instinct alone.

“Huh? How would I…” My voice faded. Realizing her implications, I blushed and pivoted on my heel. “We’re not that connected, and for the last time, quit it with the funny ideas!”

She, Luxio, and even Dratini snickered, with Luxio saying my beet-red face didn’t help my case.

“Shut it. Now, since we have no idea where Paul is, let’s just keep heading this direction and look for signs of a Dratini nest. I’m sure we’ll meet up with Paul soon, anyway. I don’t need to find him right away.”

Luxio joked that Paul would probably be drawn to my location and come running.

My ears burned. “Quit it!”

The three of us kept walking until the trail ended at a short cliff. A thick cluster of trees sat at the bottom with roots everywhere, making it impossible to see if the path continued deep into the forest or not.

“Can’t go that way,” I surmised, wondering if it was even safe to enter the forest. “That makes this a dead-end. I guess we should go back and try Paul’s route. Sound good?”

Pikachu alerted us to a new discovery right off the path.

Underneath an umbrella tree, a medium-sized blue Pokémon with big ears and sharp claws napped in the shade. It rose up, yawned, and groomed its face like a cat before falling back asleep.

“Haven’t seen one of those yet. It looks kind of like a female Nidoran.”

Dex provided its information: “ _ Nidorina the Poison Pin Pokémon, and the evolved form of a female Nidoran. Nidorina has a calm and caring nature. If it is threatened, however, it raises the barbs all over its body and resorts to physical attacks like clawing or biting. _ ”

My hand snatched one of the unused Safari Balls stuffed into my jacket pocket. “After so many failed attempts to catch a female Nidoran, there’s no way in hell I’ll pass this up. Safari Ball, go!”

I chucked the ball.

Nidorina cracked open her eyelid. With a flick of her claw, she shattered the device.

“What?! Was using Fury Swipes really necessary?”

The Pokémon rose to her feet and growled at me.

I growled back and held up a second Safari Ball. “I’m not giving up on you.”

Before we could continue, something huge shoved its way through the dry brush, prompting heads to turn in the sound’s direction. We all wondered what could be approaching at such a terrifying speed, and if we should prepare for a fight or not. I suspected it to be Nidorina’s backup, but the look on her face quickly shut down that theory.

A Nidorino barreled through the brush. Upon exiting the grass, he took a moment to shake his entire body and rid it of any debris. His pupils dilated to nearly bursting as he then made a beeline for the female version of his kind.

Jumping out of her skin, Nidorina flipped around and sent Nidorino flying with Iron Tail.

My jaw fell open. “Wow! Look at that power! I have to catch her now!”

Unfortunately, Nidorino was undeterred. Upon slamming into the dirt, he stood up and threw himself at the female Poison Pin Pokémon once again, earning a Fury Swipes attack to the face.

I made a face. “I respect his determination, but she’s clearly not interested.”

Pikachu and Luxio agreed.

Despite being smacked with another Iron Tail, Nidorino refused to give up.

“Poor guy. Maybe I’ll catch him instead and put him out of his misery.”

Nidorino’s ears turned upwards upon registering my voice, and even better, my nearby presence. He dashed over, tugged on my leg, and barked loudly, gesturing back towards his crush with a pleading look on his face.

“H-Huh? You want me to catch her? But, I was going to catch you, too. Is that okay? I’d hate to split up the set.”

Refusing to hear my babble, Nidorino flung himself at Nidorina yet again.

“Hey! She already told you to back off!” Nidorina was too startled to move, so I forced her out of the way. “Sorry about this!” She went inside the Safari Ball, which clicked without a problem. “That worked?”

Nidorino quickly made a u-turn and charged at us with an intent to kill!

“Hey!” Glaring, I threw my arms out. “Cut that out already!”

He slammed on the brakes.

“Don’t you know when you’ve been rejected? Quit bugging her. She doesn’t like it!”

Pikachu and Luxio roared in agreement, making Nidorino submissively lower his head.

Once everyone calmed down, I lowered my arms, and my voice. “Look. If you really like her, why don’t you start by apologizing for acting so crazy? I’ll let her out of the Poké Ball so you can do just that, but I’m keeping an eye on you. Deal?”

He nodded.

Upon materializing on the ground, Nidorina shook her head and studied her surroundings, looking extremely dazed and confused. She traced my legs with her eyes and craned her neck to meet my green orbs.

“Nice to meet you, Nidorina. I’m Rosa. Sorry that I caught you so suddenly. I was just trying to help you out.” Pikachu, Luxio, and Dratini also introduced themselves. “Hope you’re not too mad.”

She seemed content with the capture despite her earlier attitude.

Then, she found Nidorino lying on the ground in front of her. She yelped and ran behind my legs for cover, growling menacingly at her not-so-secret admirer.

“H-Hey, careful with those spines of yours,” I squeaked.

Nidorino took a step forward, but Nidorina barked at him.

“Now, hold on. He said he wants to apologize to you.” She glanced up at me. “I’m not saying you have to accept his apology, but at least hear him out. I promise I won’t move from this spot.” I couldn’t move with the claws wrapped tightly around my calf.

Nidorino inched towards us.

Pikachu and Luxio worried about Nidorina scratching my legs.

“It’s alright. She’s just a little freaked out. I would be acting that way, too, if a crazy guy woke me up from my nap and flung himself at me. I wouldn’t appreciate it at all, no matter how much they like me.”

Nidorina asked about my statement.

I shook my head. “No. I wouldn’t appreciate it, so remember. You’re not, under any condition, obligated to accept his apology.”

She nodded.

Nidorino shuffled up to us. He kept his head lowered to the ground like a kicked dog, ears pinned to the sides of his face. His quiet whimper expressed the sincerity of his apology.

After a moment of deep thought, Nidorina gathered the courage to step out of my shadow. She steadily approached Nidorino, and then patted his head. She had accepted his apology.

Pikachu made a comment.

“You both are right. He doesn’t seem like a bad guy. Just a bit clueless.”

Nidorino rose up, turned, and disappeared into the tall grass just as quickly as he appeared.

“Where’s he going?”

As though answering my question, he returned to everyone with a yellow hibiscus flower in his mouth. He dropped it at Nidorina’s feet and backed away, lowering his whole body to the ground again.

My heart melted into a pile of goo. “Aw!”

Pikachu and Luxio wore funny looks upon witnessing my reaction.

“What? I’m a sucker for romance, especially the cheesy stuff.”

Nidorina took the flower in her paws, sniffed it, and smiled.

Nidorino smiled back, ears wiggling back and forth.

I knelt down beside them both. “That’s a much better way to introduce yourself.”

Nidorina barked in agreement before rubbing up against my side.

“No problem, but please don’t do that. That hurts a little.”

Nidorino barked at me, gesturing to his crush.

“Don’t worry. You won’t be apart. Here. I’ll catch you, too.” All the Pokémon gasped in surprise and tried to stop me from throwing the Safari Ball—which they failed to do.

The ball bounced off Nidorino’s head without doing anything.

“Huh? You’re not…wild...?” I stopped, looking closer at Nidorino’s face. “No. There’s no way…”

Pikachu smacked me with her tail.

I went wide eyed, looking between them all. “Are you really—?”

“Nidorino!”

Paul and Eevee came crashing through the dry grass just as quickly as Nidorino not a minute earlier. They collapsed on the dirt and panted heavily as though just finishing a marathon.

“Nidorino,” gasped my purple-haired friend, “don’t go running off like that.”

“Paul?” I stared at Nidorino. “You are! You’re Paul’s Nidorino!!”

The purple Pokémon nodded.

“How the heck did I not realize?!”

With the exception of Nidorina, all my Pokémon gave great big sighs of disappointment.

“What the hell were you in such a hurry for any...way…?” Paul’s voice faded to a tiny mumble when he spotted me staring back at him. “O-Oh. You’re here, too?”

Getting her second wind, Eevee returned to her feet, rushed over, and crashed into Luxio.

“Yep. It’s-a me! Good ol’ Rosa.” Nidorina tugged on my shirt and asked if we should save Luxio from Eevee’s bone-crushing bear hug.

“That must mean Nidorino was just trying to find you,” Paul said as he stepped over to us. “I wondered why he was in such a hurry, and why he kept insisting we keep up with him. Now, I know.”

“Yeah. He was running pretty fast, but it wasn’t  _ me _ he was trying to find.” With burning ears, I shot all of the snickering Pokémon a look. “It was her.”

Paul finally took notice of Nidorina. “Ah. That makes more sense. You catch her?”

“Just now, actually. Nidorino kept throwing himself at her like a mindless being, so I forced her out of the way using a Safari Ball. Sorry about that, again.” She shook her head. “And then I scolded Nidorino for acting that way.”

“Remind me to do the same. Why did you get all weird anyway?”

“You mean,” I stood up straight and met his eyes, “you don’t know? It’s pretty obvious.”

“What’s obvious? Nothing makes sense on why he would’ve just run off like that.”

“Really?” I gestured to the group of Pokémon sitting at our feet.

Nidorina asked Pikachu for help fastening the flower around her ear, being the only other Pokémon with opposable thumbs. Upon completion, Nidorino gave her a wonderful compliment. She responded with a furious blush and hopelessly covered it with her paws.

“Oh. So, my Nidorino…”

I swallowed back a lump.

“Likes my Nidorina...”

_ And you know what they say about two Trainers and their Pokémon, _ chuckled the voice in my head.

Alarm bells went off in my head. My cheeks burned like the sun. Palms were sweaty, and my throat felt dry.

Paul and I locked eyes for a split second before turning our bodies away from each other. “So,” he coughed, “he gave her a flower, huh? That’s nice.”

I made a shaky grin. “Yeah. Surprising since he’s being raised by someone like you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. So, did you catch anything while you were away?”

“I did. Here’s the Pokédex info.”

His Pokédex presented an image of a tall bird with three heads and a single pair of legs: “ _ Dodrio the Triple Bird Pokémon, and the evolved form of Doduo. Its three heads represent joy, sorrow, and anger. When it sleeps, one head remains awake. If all three are looking in separate directions, it's a sure sign that it is on-guard. Don't go near this Pokémon if it's being wary as it may decide to peck you. _ ”

“Wow. Quite a Pokémon.”

“What about you? Catch anything else besides Nidorina?”

“No,” I quietly admitted.

“Really? You didn’t find anything? I’ll admit there aren’t many potential team members in this park, but there are still a few.”

My index fingers pressed together. “I was kind of preoccupied...”

“With what?”

I swallowed hard. “Wanting to apologize.”

“Apologize?”

“For snapping at you earlier, and telling us to split up. It… It wasn’t right.” Taking a breath to calm myself, I straightened my shoulders, tightened my fists, and raised my head to meet his eyes. “Paul, I overreacted to what you said earlier, but that’s because I didn’t realize you meant it as a joke as opposed to an insult.

“So, I’m sorry for the way I acted towards you. Really, I’m sorry!” I squeezed my eyes shut, preparing for whatever might come out of his mouth.

“Why are you the one apologizing?”

My eyes snapped open.

“Look, I’m at fault for making the comment in the first place. I’m in no position to joke like that. I promised I don’t mind you acting that way, and I meant it. I could totally understand why you got upset, but don’t work yourself up over it.”

I slowly nodded. “Okay.”

With a sharp intake of breath, Paul broke eye contact and cupped the back of his neck with one hand. “In any case, maybe this is good timing, because I decided that I needed to apologize to you.” He miserably attempted to shield his flushed face. “And right after I said that, Nidorino popped out of his Poké Ball and rushed here, leading me right to you.”

“He did? Wait. You said that? Like, out loud?”

Paul glanced around as though searching for a rescue. “Well, not word for word...”

Eevee climbed onto his head and confessed her Trainer’s true words.

“H-Huh?!!” My brain short-circuited.

Blushing uncontrollably, Paul glared at his Pokémon. “That’s not what I said!” Nidorino vigorously nodded his head to agree with Eevee’s statement, making their Trainer blush even harder. “You both need to cut that shit out!”

Luxio, Pikachu, and Nidorina all laughed at our embarrassed faces.

Gritting my teeth, I recalled Nidorina to her Poké Ball, threatening to do the same to the others. Then, my instincts compelled me to focus on something else— _ anything _ else. “Well, let’s keep going, shall we? I want to find a way around this forest.” I stepped away to find another path to follow.

Out of earshot, Paul crouched beside his Nidorino and Eevee. “You two are not making this easy for me, you know.”

They both smiled gleefully at him.

Suddenly, a loud shrill cut through the Safari Zone ambience, drawing everyone’s attention. A flock of Dodrio charged straight at us. Every pair of eyes locked us in place with dagger-like stares.

“Dodrio?! What are they mad about?”

“Oh yeah,” Paul muttered. “That’s the other reason we ran so fast.”

“What do you mean? What did you do?!”

“I might’ve upset them by catching their leader. Now, shut up and deal with them for me. You’re the only one amongst us with Electric-types, remember?”

“We can’t take on that many at once. Our only option is to run!” When I turned to run, however, I quickly remembered my current position: on the edge of the cliff leading down into the forest. I barely managed to stop myself.

But Paul couldn’t stop even if he wanted.

He broke into a sprint and crashed straight into me, sending both of us tumbling over the cliffside. Our Pokémon watched us disappear into the trees below. Needing to escape the Dodrio flock’s vicious assault, they saw no other choice but to jump after us.

Their descent was graceful.

Ours not so much.

Paul and I barrelled down the hill, limbs flailing about in random patterns. I hoped that neither of us would accidentally hit each other, or that Dratini wouldn’t get too badly injured from inside my bag.

Oh, how I prayed the landing would be quick, soft, and on a patch of grass.

It was quick.

It was soft.

It was not on a patch of grass.

And it was startling beyond belief when I felt arms grab me around my waist.


	37. A Series of Fortunate Events

We hit the dirt floor with a heavy thump that knocked the wind out of me before skidding along for a bit. We came to a stop, and I sucked a huge breath of air into my collapsed lungs.

Once I could breathe again, I cracked my eyes open. A pounding headache fought its way to the forefront of my skull, refusing to be ignored. The scent of freshly-laundered clothes couldn’t be ignored either, or the hint of aloe consuming my nose, which was crushed against surprisingly defined chest muscles.

“H...uh?”

A small groan escaped me as I inclined my head to see for myself.

Paul had brought me tight against his chest and rolled so that he was the one who smacked against the ground. His arms circled me protectively, one hand shielding the back of my head and leaving no defense for his head whatsoever. His hair had bits of gravel and tree bark.

“Paul?!”

I propped myself up and stared down at him.

“Paul! Paul, are you okay?! Say something!”

He groaned before opening one eye. “Yeah, are you?” Concern laced his voice.

“Thanks to you, it seems.”

“Good.” He sighed and let his head roll back, resting against the cold dirt.

I rubbed the back of mine. “You...protected me?”

“That so surprising?”

“N-No. It’s just… You didn’t have to do that. I haven’t exactly deserved it.”

“Well,” he moved to sit up, “someone’s gotta preserve your few remaining brain cells.”

My eyebrows drew together. “Hmph! And here I was about to thank you. Rude!”

“Don’t strain yourself...” His voice dwindled to a mutter as he turned, lifted a hand, and moved it towards my face.

Like a defensive porcupine, my muscles tensed. “What are you doing?”

“Don't move.”

“Wh-Why… Hey…!” My eyes squeezed shut the second he touched my hair. It was only for a split second, and then he retracted his hand. I cracked one eye open and found a small twig in between his fingers.

“This was in your hair.”

I gawked at the stick like an idiot. “O-Oh. That's all it was?”

“Yeah.” He rubbed his head to shake out the debris in his hair. “What did you think I was doing, Girlie?”

“Nevermind! Uh, and thanks. A twig doesn't look as good as a flower, I suppose—and don’t call me that!” With a snarl, I threw my arms around his shoulders. “And don’t ever...ever... _ever_ do that again! Got that?!”

Startled at my hug, his arms remained at his sides. “I won’t if you get better at landing.”

“That’s something we both need to work on, jerk…”

There was a sudden cough.

Standing nearby, Pikachu, Luxio, Eevee, and Nidorino stared with raised eyebrows.

“It…” My face quickly turned red. I scrambled away from Paul, heart hammering away at my chest. “It's not what you think! I wasn’t hugging him!!”

Paul felt just the tiniest bit dejected, but he tried not to sound like it. “Then, what was that?”

“It was a threat, yeah! A threat. _Don’t_ do anything that reckless again, or I’ll crush you!”

He couldn’t help but laugh at my measly threat. “Whatever. Are you all alright at least?”

They nodded and joined our side.

“Ah! Can't forget about Dratini!” I pulled my bag off my back. A blue serpent head popped out. “Are you okay, too?” She wiggled her ears ever so cutely. “Good. Oh, mind if I check something in the bag real quick?” She nodded and slithered out to stand next to the others.

“What are you looking for?” asked Paul as he helped Eevee get the dirt off her fur.

“This.” I showed him the fossilized dome-shaped shell. “Remember?”

“Oh yeah. I still have mine, too.” He zipped open the bigger pouch of his bag and let me see inside. I easily made out his fossil’s helix-spiral shell. “See? Safe and sound.”

“So, I take it you haven’t come across any fossil experts or research labs yet either?”

“No. I know Seymour talked about a lab somewhere here in Kanto, but it would’ve helped if he were a little more specific.”

“I agree.” Then, I giggled.

“What?”

“For now, they’re just nice mementos.”

“Of what?”

“Of our journey so far. Mt. Moon was our first big adventure, after all.”

He cracked a grin. “Guess you’re right.”

Suddenly, there was a disturbance in the force.

I felt multiple pairs of eyes burning holes into my back. "Quit it, you guys!" I hissed as I shoved the fossil back into my bag, closely followed by Dratini. She got out her last few laughs before curling up for her nteenth nap of the day.

Paul rose to his feet and peered back up the cliff. From our vantage point, none of us could spot any angry Dodrio heads. “Well, they don’t look ready to follow us down here. I think we’re clear.”

“Yeah. Out of the frying pan,” I stared at the trees around us, a thick forest with gigantic roots sticking out of the ground. “And into the fire…”

“And a good spot to see if we can find any sign of a Dratini nest,” continued Paul, taking a moment to recall his Nidorino before walking into the treeline. "Come on. Let's find our way out of here."

I hurried after him. "I wonder what Pokémon we can find in this forest? Probably more Para—Ah!"

Paul spun around to find me facedown in the dirt. "This ain't the place to take a nap."

“I tripped, you idiot!!" I pushed myself onto all fours and rubbed my knee. “Ow. These giant roots are everywhere and make it impossible to see where I’m going. I’ll probably trip on more.”

“Uh, I don’t think it was the tree you tripped on.”

Slowly turning my head, I found a ball of blue vines lying nearby. It rose onto its red feet and glared at me.

“Uh oh. Uh, sorry, Tangela…”

Tangela screeched before shooting its vines at me.

Luxio moved to fire off a Thunder Bolt, but Paul reacted first.

Using one hand to drag me out of attack range, he used his other hand to throw a Safari Ball and catch Tangela before it could land a hit. The capture device clicked after three shakes.

“Th-Thanks, Paul."

“Don’t mention it.” He retrieved the Poké Ball and cast a smirk in my direction. “But try not to trip on anymore Pokémon, got it?”

Embarrassed, I turned away. “Shut up.”

Not too far ahead came the sound of clashing attacks. Two sizable bug-types were locked in a deadly battle of scythes versus horns, and neither side seemed ready to throw in the towel.

“A Scyther and a Pinsir?”

“What's a Scyther?” asked Paul as he registered the bipedal creature on his Pokédex.

“It's a really fast Pokémon with a strong set of attacks. Koga used one in my gym battle. I guess that means he didn't battle you with it. Maybe giving it a rest? Ah, nevermind. Here's my chance to catch—”

Paul clutched my bag. “Hold on! Do you really want to get in the middle of _that_?”

“Yep! I call the Scyther!” I pushed past him.

Scyther and Pinsir both froze in place as I sprung on them from out of nowhere. In their moment of shock, I successfully caught Scyther. Not wasting any time, Paul obtained the Pinsir for himself.

“Alright, another successful catch!”

“And another bug-type with some potential. Not bad.”

“Will you quit judging Pokémon based on their—”

A Solar Beam interrupted me, tearing through the canopy above. A shower of leaves and branches fell upon us, and just as quickly as it appeared, the beam of light vanished into thin air.

“What was that?” I gasped.

Paul said nothing and walked in the direction of the attack’s origin.

Up ahead, we came upon a Chansey and six egg-shaped Pokémon squabbling.

“Is that a Chansey?” I gasped as we crouched behind some foliage. “That’s a rare find.”

“You’re right. And those are Exeggcute.”

“Exeggcute?”

He showed me the Pokédex entry: “ _Exeggcute the Egg Pokémon. Although it resembles an egg, it is more closely related to the seed of a plant. By conversing with telepathy, they always form a cluster of six Exeggcute._ ”

I made a face. “Weird.”

“Weird or not, they’re distracted, and I want to catch that Exeggcute. Did you see the power of that Solar Beam? A full set of six means it'll be really strong and won't need a lot of extra training once it evolves.”

“Fair point. Then I'll go for Chansey. Not only is it rare, it's so cute!"

He groaned. “Figures you'd say that…”

“So, this is my chance.” I burst from our hiding spot and threw my Safari Ball straight at the Chansey. “You’re mine!”

However, a yellow duck jumped in the ball’s path and got captured instead.

My jaw dropped. “I caught a...what?”

Dex responded: “ _Psyduck the Duck Pokémon. Psyduck suffers frequent headaches and can exhibit mysterious attacks when they become especially intense._ ”

I retrieved the ball with a frown. “Now, I have a headache. Well, nothing I can do about it now. Welcome to the team, Psyduck.”

“Nice job,” Paul commented, earning himself a death glare.

And even better, in my moment of triumph, Chansey got away.

But the Exeggcute were still there, unable to run as fast.

“Not so fast! Safari Ball, get it!” Paul chucked a green ball.

All six Exeggcute angrily bounced about and released a cloud of orange spores before getting sucked into the ball; it was interesting to watch all six get captured even though the Poké Ball only hit one of them.

“That’s Stun Spore!” I cried, watching the spore cloud fan out in all directions.

“We have to disperse it.”

“Or nullify it!” I summoned my fluffy-tailed turtle. “Combine your Water Gun and Rapid Spin to hose down the Stun Spore!” Retreating into his shell, Wartortle fired off a jet of water and spun in circles. The water created a mist to cancel out the effects of Stun Spore. When done, Wartortle gracefully landed on his tail. “And he sticks the landing! Ten points!”

Paul shot us both a look. “That was unnecessarily flashy.”

“Who asked you?! And great work, Wartortle. Thanks.” I recalled him.

“Wouldn’t Pidgeotto have been a better choice?”

“Well, a Gust attack would’ve simply blown the Stun Spore in another direction and caused problems for someone else. Not to mention the whirlwind that would disturb or scare away any nearby Pokémon.”

“Good point.”

But not everyone was unaffected.

The bushes nearby rustled, causing everyone to quickly turn and prepare for a possible fight. But there was no need. A tiny purple Pokémon emerged from the leaves before falling on its front, panting heavily and writhing in pain.

“Oh no!”

We rushed over to the Pokémon.

“It’s a baby Kangaskhan,” said Paul.

“Crap. She got hit by Stun Spore.”

“She?”

“Yes, _she_! All Kangaskhan are female. Didn’t you know—Ah, this isn’t the time. We have to help her.”

“Leave it to me.” He rummaged through his bag.

“You got a Paralyze Heal in there?”

“Somewhere. But I’ll need you to hold her.”

I brought the baby Kangaskhan into my arms. She protested by limply clawing at my arms to get out of them. “I’m sorry if you’re scared, Kangaskhan, but I promise we’re not trying to hurt you. Hurry it up, Paul, before her mother comes along, misunderstands, and tears us a new one.”

“Don’t rush me. Aha, here!” He obtained the proper medicine bottle and held it up to the tiny Pokémon. “Now, this medicine will sting a little bit, but it’ll allow you to heal faster, so bear with it.” A bit of the Paralyze Heal was spritzed.

Kangaskhan screamed and cried from the stinging sensation, digging her claws into my arm.

“There...there, Kangaskhan,” I muttered through clenched teeth. “It’s alright.”

Fortunately, the stinging quickly subsided, and the wounds on Kangaskhan’s body started to heal. She felt better in no time at all. Within seconds, she was standing up and dancing around on her tiny feet.

“Feeling better now?”

She squealed before clinging to my chest and nuzzling it.

I patted her back with a mild blush. “Y-You’re welcome, Kangaskhan, but could you not do that? That feels weird.”

Looking embarrassed, Paul turned away. “I’d say someone likes you, huh?”

“D-Don’t go making jokes! This is weird for me, too!” I pried Kangaskhan from my shirt and turned her towards the other Pokémon, who distracted her with their assortment of tails as though she were a cat playing with a toy. “We should find her mother now. I’ll bet she’s worried sick.”

“She shouldn’t be too far, right? Kangaskhan mothers don’t let their kids stray too far from them—”

_Grrr…_

The ground suddenly quaked.

And just like that, a seven-foot tall version of the little Kangaskhan towered over us.

“Ah! There’s mom!”

The mother narrowed her eyes upon finding her baby near us.

I looked between the two before lifting my arms. “No, wait, Kangaskhan! We’re not trying to harm her! She was hurt and we helped her and—”

Not listening at all, she pulled back her right arm and made it glow.

The color left our faces. “Is that a Mega Punch?!” shuddered Paul.

“Wait, Kanga—!”

The baby quickly came to our rescue. She jumped forward and barked at her mother with her tiny paws held out. The growling parent listened closely, considered her child’s pleas and our frightened faces, and slowly backed down.

I released a breath and grinned at the baby. “Thank you, uh, Li’l Kanga.” She smiled at the nickname before running over to give me another hug. “Yes, yes, I like you, too. Now, come on. I have to get up. Here, wanna fly?” As I rose onto my feet, I held Li’l Kanga in the air to mimic the feeling of flight. “That fun?”

She excitedly cried.

“Good. So, let’s fly you back to mom.” I returned the little Pokémon to her mother’s arms, who promptly secured her child in her belly pouch. “Okay, you two take care. We have to keep moving.”

But before I got too far, the baby started wailing and releasing crocodile tears.

“I don’t think Li’l Kanga wants you to leave,” guessed Paul, jokingly using the nickname I’d improvised.

In response, Mama Kanga roared at me.

I met her eyes.

“Okay, then. Wanna come along?”

She nodded and entered the Poké Ball without me even doing anything. Luxio and Pikachu were happy once again at us gaining not one but two new friends.

“Thanks, Mama Kanga. I’ll take care of you both.” I stowed the Poké Ball in the basket, but as I did, I caught Paul gazing at me with a thoughtful look. “What’s that face for? Got something to say?”

“Nah.” He started walking. “Wanna try finding that Chansey next, Girlie?”

“Sure.” I ran to catch up with him. “And also find our way out of here.”

He agreed.

★

We never found any sign of the pink Pokémon. We looked high, and we looked low, but absolutely nothing. We only found our way out of the forest. I burst through the treeline and skidded to a halt at a small river. No signs of Chansey anywhere nearby. No footprints or sounds of rustling grass.

“Ahh...!”

“Did you get it?” Paul asked as he and the Pokémon came up behind me.

“No. She got away. Looks like Chansey can be fast when the time calls for it.”

“Well, she couldn’t have gotten far. Keep an eye out and she might pop up again.”

“Okay.” My eyes widened when I spotted the pink Pokémon just a few feet away taking a sip from the river. “Oh, you’re right, Paul! Over there!”

Chansey saw me but reacted too late.

“I got you this time!” I threw the ball.

Once again, a yellow duck leaped in its path.

“Another Psyduck?!” But instead of getting sucked inside, the Poké Ball bounced off its large yellow head. When the ball rolled back to my foot, I suddenly felt the urge to scream. “It’s the same one?!”

Psyduck looked at me with a clueless expression and clutched its head.

And Chansey slipped away again.

I was this close to chucking something. “Damn you, Psyduck!”

“You’ve gotta control your Pokémon,” commented Paul.

“Don’t tell me what to do!” After recalling my troublesome duck, my eyes moved to the water’s surface. “Since we’re here, why don’t we switch gears and go fishing for some water Pokémon?”

“What’s the point? I don't think I could find anything stronger than my Gyarados.”

I put my hands on my hips. “It can't hurt to look, and we should at least try to use all our Safari Balls.”

“Fine.”

Thus, we tried our hands at fishing. Paul broke out the special fishing rod we received from Kaiser, and I retrieved a tiny tackle box from my bag. It was a dull, grey color with scratches and dents all over the outside.

Paul looked surprised at its appearance. “What’s that?”

“Just a collection of super awesome Pokémon lures. Volt and I go fishing a lot, and we get a new lure for every place we visit.” Upon opening the lid, we found a collection of Pokémon-themed lures including a Piplup, Finneon, Magikarp, and a Cherubi, and quite a few others. “Cute, huh?”

“Are they to replace the bait?”

“Yep! These babies have a 100 percent success rate when it comes to attracting water Pokémon!” My shoulders slumped. “Only problem: I don’t possess enough arm strength to haul anything decent out of the water. Volt’s a lot stronger than me and can handle full-grown Tentacruel. I can barely handle anything bigger than a Magikarp.”

“Well, let’s work together. You cast the line out, and when something bites, we switch.”

I wondered why I didn’t come up with something so simple. “Uh, that’s actually a good plan. Okay, let’s try it.”

I pulled my arm back, and with a mighty swing, sent it forward to cast the line. My Cherubi lure landed directly in the center of the river, the deepest part and the spot most likely to attract the attention of any underwater dwellers.

“Nice toss.”

“Thanks. And now, we wait.”

The lure bobbed once.

“Wait for it…”

Twice, three times the lure bobbed, making Paul grow antsy.

“No. Not yet…”

And then it got tugged underwater!

“Now! Switch!”

I handed off the pole and stepped back.

Bracing his feet against the ground, Paul sucked in a mighty breath, tensed his arm and shoulder muscles, and yanked the Pokémon out of the water in one powerful movement. A small tadpole appeared at the end of the line, the lure entirely in its mouth.

“It’s a Poliwag! That’s amazing, Paul!”

“Glad you’re so impressed, Girlie.” He struggled to keep Poliwag from returning to the water. “Now, catch it!”

“But, it’s your catch?”

“Ladies first! Hurry!”

Nodding, I threw a Safari Ball and captured the Poliwag.

We repeated this pattern a number of times. I got the lure into the deep water and waited until I secured a bite. Then, Paul would switch in and drag the Pokémon out for us to catch. We took turns throwing Poké Balls at the creatures we found. Paul caught a Slowpoke, Slowbro, Krabby, and Kingler, one after the other.

I did not have nearly as successful a catching streak.

“What the hell?!” I shrieked as my Psyduck jumped in the way of a second Krabby.

And when I tried to get myself a Slowpoke, the same thing happened.

“What’s wrong with this Psyduck?”

“Wow. You sure got a special Pokémon there, Girlie.”

“Shut up, and don’t call me that!” I whined before casting the line.

The next catch was a Magikarp, but once again, Psyduck got in the way.

“Psyduck…” I groaned, dropping to my knees. The yellow duck stared at me with its head in its hands. “Keep that up, and I’ll give you a real headache! But, I suppose I haven’t found anything super noteworthy yet.”

“What about that?”

Off to the side, the elusive Chansey had made yet another appearance near the riverbank, curious about all the commotion we caused, particularly after I started shouting abuse at my Psyduck.

Adrenaline pumped its way into my veins.

“Not getting away this time, Chansey! Go, Safari—!” My mouth clamped shut. Looking here and there, I found Psyduck standing right beside me and hurriedly pulled him into a firm headlock. “Okay, _now_ , go Safari Ball!”

Finally, after so many failed attempts, I managed to get Chansey into a Safari Ball. It shook three times and clicked, and I almost cried when I heard it. I practically flew over, swiped the ball off the ground, and thrust it into the air.

“Third time’s the charm! I got Chansey!”

Luxio, Pikachu, and Eevee danced around my feet while Psyduck quacked at me to release him.

“You brought this upon yourself, mister. Now, return.”

On the next double-team bait and switch, we found another Poliwag, and Paul caught it.

“And that’s number fifteen,” announced Paul. “That’ll do it for my Safari Balls.”

“Really? I thought you would’ve had a few more.”

“Well, I wasted a couple on Dodrio.”

“Ah. Well, I have just one left. Damn, Psyduck… So I’m going to save this last one for something super powerful. Maybe I’ll find something here in the river.”

After storing away its Poké Ball, he pulled back his sleeve to check the time on his Pokétch. “Well, we should wrap this up soon anyways. We've been at this for thirty minutes already. Make your last throw a good one.”

“This calls for drastic measures, then.” I rifled through the tackle box and brought out my very special lure: a yellow four-pointed star. “Tada!”

“Looks like Luxio’s tail?”

“Yep. I had it custom-made, and Luxio’s the one who gave me the idea. Isn’t that right, bud?”

Luxio proudly jutted out his chin and wagged his tail.

Paul folded his arms. “Well, it may be special, but will it actually catch anything?”

“Just watch.” I threw the lure as far into the water as I could manage.

We waited around for quite a while, where I tuned out all unnecessary sights and sounds. I only focused on the lure bobbing on the river's surface, the soft waves lapping against the riverbank, the brushing of the winds against our clothes, and the tapping of Paul’s foot against the dirt.

“How long is this going to take? You’re not getting anything.”

“What do you mean? If you want an excellent catch, it takes time before it’ll bite down—Ah!” The fishing rod nearly ripped out of my hands, making my entire body jerk to the side. “H-Hey! This is a big bite! Hurry and switch in, Paul!”

“Don’t let go!” He rushed over and grabbed the fishing pole, placing his hands over mine.

My skin tingled. “What the hell are you doing?!”

“Quit whining! This’ll need everyone’s strength. Now, shut up and pull!"

I swallowed back the lump in my throat and focused _exclusively_ on keeping the fishing rod in my hands—and not on Paul’s warm fingers encompassing them. “Brace yourself! Ready? One… Two...”

Luxio, Pikachu, and Eevee grabbed a hold of our legs.

“ _Heave!!_ ”

With everyone’s combined strength, we somehow managed to win that game of tug-o-war. The Pokémon, Paul, and I lurched backwards and brought the catch up out of the water, bringing ourselves face-to-face with the most terrifying and unexpected creature to live in such a small river.

“It’s a Gyarados!!”

_Snap!_

The fishing line broke thanks to the enormous amount of tension on either side, knocking everyone down and allowing Gyarados to return to the water before it had a chance to attack us. With a final roar, the monster disappeared from sight.

I stared at the water’s surface with wide eyes, gasping for breath and mentally soothing my rapid heartbeat. The fishing pole remained tight in my hands. “I didn’t think you could find something that big in such a small river.”

“Me neither.”

Sirens blared in my head, for Paul’s voice sounded too close for comfort.

I turned my head to find him behind me. Both arms circled my waist, and his hands gripped the fishing pole so hard that the knuckles turned white, effectively taking the color out of mine.

“Waah!”

I sent the pole into his face with enough force to send him flying several feet away from me. His skidding against the ground kicked up an impressive dust cloud. After he flopped painfully on his back, I scrambled up onto my feet and held the fishing rod out like a sword.

“D-D-Don’t get too close to me, perv!”

“Who are you calling, perv? I wasn’t doing any...” His voice dwindled to a mutter.

When he looked me in the eye, I responded with bared teeth. Not just that, Luxio shot Paul the nastiest glare he’d ever seen in his life—and that boy’s seen himself in the mirror. Luxio was not the biggest fan of anyone I accused of being a pervert.

Our scowls made Paul’s hands shoot into the air. “I’m sorry, okay? It was an accident.”

After a moment, I accepted his apology. “Fine.”

That’s when I heard a quiet mewl.

During the commotion with Gyarados, Dratini had fallen out of my bag. Compared to the rest of our bumps and scrapes, she appeared unharmed, just a little dazed and confused after being violently jolted awake.

“Ah, Dratini. Sorry you got woken up so suddenly.”

However, I never got a response.

Instead, Dratini lifted her head and carefully observed our surroundings with erect ears. It looked like she searched for something. I crouched and watched her head pivot this way and that, her lively tail flicking about.

“Dratini? Something wrong? Something out there?”

After a moment, she whined loudly before slithering off in one direction.

“Dratini?!” I shot up and hurried after her. “Hey, where are you going?! Wait up!”

She was determined with no intention of slowing down.

“Where the hell is she going?” asked Paul as he and the Pokémon caught up.

“Not sure, but she’s in a hurry, so it must be important!”

“We gotta make sure nobody else sees her.”

“I’m not concerned about that. I haven’t seen anyone since we left the forest. I imagine they’re all preoccupied with catching all the Pokémon closer to the gate, since they’re easier, you know?”

“I guess. Tch. Kinda pathetic.”

“Hey. It’s a decent tactic, so—”

Dratini barked at me, upset that I had slowed down in my conversation with Paul. She stopped for a brief moment to wrap her tail around my wrist, and then started off again, tugging me along in a hurry.

“Okay, okay, I’m coming. But wow. I didn’t know you could move so fast.”

Without responding, she sped up.

Then, Paul had a thought. “Hey. Maybe she picked up a sign of the nest?”

“You think so? But how would she know? She’s never been here before.”

“No, she has. Remember? As an egg? Maybe it’s like an internal homing sensation? Something as important as returning home would definitely make me run at this pace.”

I pursed my lips. “Well, whatever it is, we’re gonna get there quick.”

Dratini brought us to the northern edge of the park. We crossed prairies and waist-length grasslands to get there, cutting through another small group of trees. As the plants started to disappear, the ground slowly started to rise up around our path, forming walls to create a rocky labyrinth.

On top of the lack of a map, a dense fog engulfed the canyon and reduced our vision. I could barely see Dratini who was right in front of me. She, however, possessed some sort of internal compass that allowed her to press on through the maze.

“I can hardly see,” I groaned. “Where are we going, Dratini?”

She responded by tightening her grip on my wrist to keep us from getting separated.

“This fog is too thick. I can’t see anything,” groaned Paul before putting Eevee on his head. “You sit tight. Last thing we need is to get separated.”

“Good idea. Luxio, Pikachu, you guys, too.” They climbed onto my shoulders.

Eevee had an additional suggestion to keep everyone together, which she shared with Paul.

“Cut it out, Eevee,” he immediately retorted, but she reminded him of the current situation and our lack of options. “Errr… I hate it when you make a good point. But if she straight up kills me, I’m blaming you.”

Eevee accepted the terms.

“Uh, you’re not talking about me, are you?” I asked. “I’ll only kill you if you do something stupid.”

He gulped. “That means I’m doomed.”

“Why?”

In response, he held out his hand to me.

“What?”

“Well, we don’t want to get separated either, right?”

The heat in my face quickly escalated. “Of course not, but…” My eyes flickered between his face and his hand; I could barely see either of them. With the thickening fog, we had no other choice. I reached back and gripped his fingers, which sent a jolt of electricity up my arm—and not the fun kind that I’m used to. “Just don’t get any funny ideas, got it? If you do, I’ll have _both_ of these guys fry you.”

He let out a smug laugh. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard that threat before, Girlie.”

“Don’t call me that!”

We wove our way through the spooky, foggy maze and relied on nothing but whatever currently drew Dratini’s undivided attention. Where she was leading us we had absolutely no idea.


	38. A Girl, A Boy, A Mother, and a Dragon

I heard a rumbling noise ahead of us but couldn’t figure out what it was. The farther we walked, the louder the noise grew. We neared the end of a narrow tunnel. The eternal fog broke away, and then, suddenly, we found ourselves stepping into a small clearing.

And I discovered the source of the sound.

A cluster of waterfalls foamed and flowed over grey stones, plummeted down, and spread out like fans falling to a wide turquoise pool below. Spiked rocks jutted out in random patterns. Small bushes with petite blue flowers surrounded the lake, which was encompassed by vast cliffs on all sides.

The sight was magical.

“What in the world is this place?” My head swiveled this way and that to take in the sights and sounds. “It’s...beautiful. It’s like a secret spring.”

“Are we even in the park anymore?”

Luxio, Pikachu, and Eevee looked upon the scenery with wide eyes.

Dratini slithered over to a flat spot near the water’s edge. She observed the pool, curiously blinking at her adorable reflection. She even touched her nose against the water and got startled when she splashed herself. Then, she craned her neck, stretched her lengthy body to increase her height, and gazed about.

“What’s she...doing?”

All of a sudden, Dratini released a whine that echoed throughout the valley.

The ground rumbled beneath our feet.

In a matter of seconds, dark storm clouds appeared, releasing a torrential downpour. Thunder and lightning crackled overhead, and a powerful wind kicked up huge waves on the lake’s surface, forcing us to back up or risk getting swept away.

Though Dratini stayed put.

“Dratini, get back! It’s dangerous!”

She ignored me, or she just couldn’t hear me. Her eyes remained fixed on the lake.

At its center, bubbles rose up to the surface one by one. But, like watching a pot of water boil on the stove, the amount of bubbles quickly increased.

“Something’s coming.”

“Please tell me it isn’t a Gyarados.”

Just when I expected the lake to start boiling over, a giant whirlpool appeared and churned the choppy waters. Then, a bright blue light beamed out of the pool, followed by a massive spout. A shadow appeared from within the light, rising higher and higher.

The water spout suddenly broke away.

The light faded.

We found ourselves face-to-face with a magnificent blue serpent. It blinked at us twice before roaring up to the sky.

Where there were gloomy storm clouds two seconds ago, there were suddenly warm rays of light now casting down on the valley. But we barely noticed the dramatic weather change, for we only had eyes for the mysterious Pokémon that had just appeared.

“Is that...an evolved Dratini?!”

There was no mistaking the strong resemblance between the two serpents.

Dex gave me the Pokémon’s info. “ _ Dragonair the Dragon Pokémon, and the evolved form of Dratini. A mystical Pokémon that exudes a gentle aura. It lives in large bodies of water like the sea and lakes, and has the ability to freely control the weather. _ ”

I stared at Dragonair’s catalogued image on the Pokédex. “If that's the case, does that mean that this Dragonair could very well be…?”

“Hey. Look at that mark on its head.”

A small, white horn sat on the Pokémon’s forehead. The horn had an unusual, and somewhat familiar, mark. It looked like a scar.

“Didn’t the Dratini in that old photograph have a mark just like that?”

My jaw dropped. “You're right! It's the same mark. That would make this Dragonair that same Dratini from thirty years ago.”

“Which means this Dragonair was here when Dratini was taken.”

“And if Dragonair appeared immediately when Dratini called to it…”

“That means this has to be Dratini’s mother!!” Paul and I declared at the same time, only to have Dragonair immediately howl at us. She appreciated our loud and annoying outburst not one bit.

I turned to the little serpent staring in awe at the supersized version of herself. “Dratini, you hear that?” She looked back at me. “That’s your mom, Dratini! And that means you’re finally home!”

Dratini went back to gazing at her mother.

“Do you recognize her at all?”

She responded with a quiet mewl, recoiling at Dragonair’s intimidating glare.

“Don’t be afraid.” I reached down to give Dratini a light shove. “Go on over to her.”

Unfortunately, Dragonair got furious when I tried to push Dratini forward and fired a powerful Hyper Beam at us. The four of us dove out of the way just on time, barely avoiding being vaporized.

“Ah! Why’d you attack us like that?!” I screamed as I returned to my feet.

Dragonair growled at us.

The intimidating glare worked enough to get Paul to take a cautious step away from the angry dragon. “She sees us with Dratini so I bet she thinks we’re the ones who stole the egg in the first place.”

I pushed my hands into the air, palms turned outward. “Hold on, Dragonair! Dratini’s with us because we’re friends. That’s why we brought her back here! We’re only trying to help!”

Not willing to listen, Dragonair opened her mouth to launch another attack.

“It’s no use! She’s an angry mom!”

“Dragonair, I promise we’re not the ones who stole your egg!” I knelt down beside the serpent sitting at my feet. “Dratini! Talk to her! Tell her we’re on your side before we get reduced to ashes!”

Dratini felt frightened at the thought of approaching her mother, but she did not want the latter to happen either. Slowly worming her way forward, Dratini sucked in a mighty breath and let out a cry akin to an ear-splitting screech.

We all covered our ears to try blocking out the unpleasant tone.

“I didn’t think Dratini could learn Screech,” hissed Paul as he nearly slammed his head into the ground just to get rid of the noise.

“No, you idiot! She’s not attacking. She’s crying!”

Dragonair heard the screeching, canceled the Hyper Beam, and looked at Dratini curiously for a long time. After a few moments, her eyes widened, and her face was overcome by an endearing look.

Dratini saw her mother’s new expression and quieted down.

“Alright then,” I sighed, straightening my shoulders to project my voice. “Dragonair, this Dratini is your child. And the only reason we came here today was so we could bring her back to you.”

Dragonair narrowed her eyes in anger.

“Please listen to her, Dragonair,” pleaded Paul from behind me.

When the serpent’s eyes returned to meet mine, I resumed my explanation. “We didn’t come here to disturb you or hurt you. We just wanted to bring this little one here back to her home.

“You see, she was taken as an egg by a group of bad guys called Team Rocket, and she hatched sometime in captivity. A few weeks ago, I found her, rescued her, and took her on my journey with the goal to bring her back home.

“And I’m positive she is home now. You lost a child, didn’t you? An egg?”

As a confirmation, she gave off a quiet sound, almost as though she was crying, as though she was in despair, over losing her child. That more than confirmed our guess that she was Dratini’s mother.

And the mother missed her baby.

“Well, you don’t have to worry anymore, Dragonair. She’s home now.” I gently shoved Dratini forward. “See for yourself.” Dratini protested against me leaving and wanted to stay close, but I shook my head.

She whined. Then, she inched towards the super-sized version of herself.

Mom remained perfectly still as Dratini slowly approached it. After staring out in fear for a long time, Dratini mustered up her courage and stuck her snout forward. Mom responded by lowering her head and moving closer.

Dratini looked ready to run, but she stayed put and sniffed the air.

Suddenly, Dratini’s ears wiggled. Her tail wagged. Her eyes popped out of her head. She looked up to her mother and emitted the sweetest cry she’d ever made, prompting both serpents to release a torrent of tears. Then, Dratini threw herself at her mother.

Dragonair coiled her body around Dratini’s and squeezed her as tight as possible. The two cried all over each other, affectionately pressing foreheads together, for they had finally been reunited.

And the reunion moved many of us to tears.

“You’re such a crybaby.”

I lifted Pikachu to hide my tear-stained, and rather embarrassed, face from him. “Shut up. It’s such a sweet moment, and it makes me feel really good. Doesn’t it?” Pikachu and Luxio agreed with me, both of whom also cried over the reunion.

“Yeah.” He gave a sigh of relief as he saw Eevee crying a little. He gently rubbed her head. “Sure does. Good to know they finally figured it out. Now we’re not at risk of getting vaporized.”

I nodded before squeezing the life out of Pikachu and Luxio.

“So, this valley must be their home. The place where Dratini, and Dragonair, live.” Paul glanced around the valley. “Maybe Dragonair fled here after all those Trainers came to the park just to find her? A place where nobody can find her.”

“Makes sense. This place is enshrouded by fog, which may or may not be her doing.”

“You think?”

“Remember what the Pokédex said? Dragonair have the power to change the weather. Maybe she fled here and then uses the fog to hide her home? I don’t think anyone could find their way through that under ordinary circumstances.”

“Well then, why do you think we’re here now?”

“Because of Dratini.” I looked over at the mini-serpent practically suffocating underneath her mother’s tight grip. “She was able to find her way back here. All she needed was a little push.”

“But I wonder how Dratini could sense that this was home even when she was still just an egg when she was stolen away from here.”

“They say that even as eggs Pokémon can still hear and feel all kinds of things going on around them. I bet she recognized home right away, and I’ll bet that’s why she was able to lead us here.”

“That makes sense.”

Dratini looked over at us, jumped out of her mother’s grip, and slithered over.

I smiled. “So, this is your home, then? It’s nice. Why don’t we call it the Dragon Valley?”

Both she and Dragonair liked the name.

“Well, Dratini,” I took a knee beside her, “we did it. We got you back to your mother, and brought you back home. Does it feel good?”

She vigorously nodded.

“Good. I’m glad.” I stood back up. “So then, take care of yourself. Both of you. Oh, and we promise not to share any details of this place so you both can remain here safe and sound.”

Dragonair nodded at me, but Dratini remained still.

“You’re ready to leave already?” Paul asked, sounding a bit disappointed.

“Yeah. This was our mission, after all. To get Dratini back home with her mother. Not to mention it did take a decent amount of time to find our way here. We’ll need all the time we can get to find our way out and back to the gatehouse.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Don’t sound so concerned. Dratini’s back with her mother. That’s all that matters in the end.” I turned back to the two dragons. “So please take care, you two—”

While bawling as loud as possible, Dratini used Wrap on me, locking me in a bone-crushing hug and knocking us both over. She sobbed and sobbed for reasons that I didn’t quite understand right away.

“Ah! Dratini?! What’s wrong?! Hey, that’s tight!”

She absolutely refused to let go of me.

“At least, let me sit up.” Dratini put a little slack in her iron grip, allowing me to sit up and meet her sad eyes face-to-face. “What’s wrong? Why are you so upset all of a sudden?”

She voiced her frustrations.

“You don’t want me to go?!”

Dratini then turned to her mother and barked at her.

“I think she wants to go with you,” said Paul.

“Huh?!” Dratini agreed with Paul’s statement before tightening her grip around my waist. “But, Dratini—that hurts—you belong here with your mom. I mean, of course, I’d love for you to come along, but it wouldn’t be right taking you away from here. You both just got each other back, after all.”

She refused to listen.

I sadly looked at her, not knowing what to do. “Dratini…”

Dragonair stuck her head forward and softly cooed in my direction.

“A suggestion?”

She continued.

“You serious?!”

Paul asked, “What did she say?”

“Well,” I swallowed back the lump in my throat, “she wants to battle me.”

“Battle?!” gasped Paul and the other Pokémon.

“Yep. A one-on-one. And if I can defeat her, I can take Dratini with me. That right?”

She nodded.

“So, what will you do?”

I looked at Dratini's watery, purple eyes as they gazed into my soul, silently pleading for me to accept the offer. If I won, Dratini would continue journeying with me, and if I lost, she’ll stay with her mother. Both seemed like good outcomes, but while I preferred one, Dratini  _ strongly _ preferred the other. Honestly, defeating Dragonair in a match seemed impossible, but Dratini wouldn’t forgive me if I didn’t even give it a try. 

“Alright. I’ll do it. I’ll battle you, Dragonair.”

Dratini wagged her tail in response before unraveling herself from around me.

“Okay. But who will you use?” asked Paul as I rose to my feet and brushed the dirt off my clothes. “You’re battling a Dragon-type Pokémon, after all. Maybe use Wartortle since he has Ice Beam?”

I thought about my choice while setting my bag down on a flat rock.

“Good idea, but no.” My eyes drifted back to the attentive mother watching me and my every move. “Dragonair wants to test me and see if I’m capable of caring for her baby. She’s testing the bonds that I have with Pokémon. That means there’s only one that can help me prove my strength in that area.”

As though on cue, my black and blue cat stepped up beside me.

I met his eyes. “Luxio, let’s show her just how strong of a team we are.”

Luxio took a powerful stance, roared, and shot off a massive Thunder Bolt.

Accepting our challenge, Dragonair rose into the air and backed up to put several feet of space in between us. Paul settled himself against the same rock I set my bag on. Pikachu, Eevee, and Dratini took spots at either of his sides.

“Just don’t make any rookie mistakes. That Dragonair doesn’t look like a weakling!”

I gave them a thumbs-up. “Don’t worry. We never underestimate our opponents.”

Dragonair remained perfectly still, an invitation for us to go first.

“Don’t mind if we do. Luxio use Shock Wave!” Luxio fired and scored a direct hit. I cheered, before seeing Dragonair shake off the attack like it was nothing but a fly. “Crap. It doesn’t seem like it did anything.”

“Dragonair’s a Dragon-type, remember? Electric-type attacks won’t do much to her!”

I growled to myself. “Well, we don’t really have many other options, so we’ll just amp up our game! Luxio use Thunder Bolt!” Once again, Luxio let off a powerful bolt of lightning. This one tore through the ground as it flew at Dragonair.

Instead of simply taking the hit, Dragonair spun her tail to create a vortex and then launched it at us. The two attacks collided in the middle of the field and cancelled each other out. Immediately after, Dragonair roared up at the sky, her blue orbs flashing multiple colors.

“I’ll bet that’s Rain Dance.”

Sure enough, storm clouds rolled in overhead, releasing buckets.

“We have to be careful, Luxio. She might have a Water-type attack, so stay on your guard.” He readied himself. “Swift, let’s go!” He spun around and fired off a barrage of gold stars from his tail.

Dragonair used Aqua Tail and sliced through our Swift before scoring a hit on Luxio.

“That’s fast!” I cried as I watched Luxio get pushed back. But he dug in his heels to remain standing. “Good job. Let’s fight back with Iron Tail!” Luxio growled before racing forward with a glowing tail.

Both Pokémon crashed in the middle, the power of their tails evenly-matched.

“Back up and then use Spark!” After backing off from Iron Tail, Luxio enveloped himself in blue sparks and slammed into Dragonair, pushing her backward. However, being a Dragon-type, she resisted the attack just like before, and decided to deliver our punch with an even greater one.

First, she flew up into the sky. Next, she roared. Then, Dragonair’s orb glowed blue, and it released a blue, dragon-shaped energy that covered the Pokémon’s entire body. Finally, she rushed forward as fast as she could.

“What the heck is that?!”

I watched in horror as Dragonair slammed into Luxio with full force, knocking him away.

“Dex?!”

My Pokédex responded with, “ _ Dragon Rush. The user tackles the target while exhibiting overwhelming menace. This may also make the target flinch. _ ”

“Who knew such a graceful Pokémon could be such a fierce battler? I love it! Luxio, are you alright?” He replied with a quick growl as he stood up and stared down Dragonair. “And it looks like you’re not about to flinch, so give her Thunder Bolt!”

Dragonair responded with Hyper Beam.

Both attacks collided and negated each other.

Immediately after, Dragonair attempted another Dragon Rush.

“Protect!” Luxio managed to throw up a barrier just in time, causing Dragonair to ricochet off it. “Perfect! Hit her with a point-blank Swift attack!” With a quick pivot, Luxio scored a direct hit that sent Dragonair into the ground. “Yeah! Great job! The first big hit we scored!”

Unfortunately, Dragonair looked far from throwing in the towel. She used Twister.

“Thunder Bolt!”

But she had planned for that. Dragonair used the collision to move in close, and we only saw her the moment before she drove a powerful Aqua Tail straight in Luxio’s direction. We met her with Iron Tail, but due to the added boost from the rain, he was overpowered.

Luxio landed in front of me. I bared my teeth watching Dragonair ready another Aqua Tail. “Let’s try the same tactic. Thunder Bolt, rapid-fire!” Our attack flew off, and the giant serpent maneuvered around it while quickly getting closer. Then, she whipped around to send her tail into Luxio. “Now! Bite!” Luxio clamped his powerful teeth down onto Dragonair’s tail.

She was extremely surprised, and we didn’t give her a moment to react,

“Thunder Bolt, Luxio! Give her your max voltage!” While connected, Luxio enveloped both his and Dragonair’s bodies in blue sparks, successfully delivering tons of damage for the first time since the battle started. “Nice job!”

After finishing his attack, Luxio tossed Dragonair aside. She rose back up and glared at us, looking visibly exhausted.

“Just a little more. Thunder Bolt, again!” Luxio fired.

However, I underestimated Dragonair’s ability to remain strong.

Not messing around anymore, she responded with another Dragon Rush, one with far more power than the others. Her attack sliced through ours like butter before crashing into my electric cat and sending him flying.

Luxio flopped back on the ground and struggled to stand up this time.

“Luxio! Stay strong! You can do it!”

Impatient to finish him off, Dragonair opened her mouth. A ball of energy formed in front of it.

“Oh no! Luxio, you’ve gotta move! Quick!”

He was too late.

Dragonair unleashed hell to finish off her opponent.

“Luxio!!!”

The battle was over either way. I dashed forward and threw myself over Luxio’s limp body to protect him from the Hyper Beam, hoping for the attack to hit me instead. But the attack never hit me or Luxio. It never got close to hitting either of us.

Dragonair fired the Hyper Beam, but she missed her mark by a large margin.

The Hyper Beam flew over our heads and blasted a hole in the cliffside.

When the dust settled, Luxio and I rose to our feet to stare at the approaching serpent.

“Dragonair?” I pushed the name through my lips.

In the same manner as her daughter, Dragonair wiggled her ears and tail in the cutest way, and gave us a bright smile. It was her way of showing that she had already made up her mind.

Smiling back, I graciously bowed my head. “I understand. Thank you, and thanks for the battle, too! We’ve never battled a dragon-type before.” Luxio also bowed his head to show his gratitude—and his good manners.

The instant the battle ended, Dratini dashed over, threw herself at me, and proceeded to squeeze the life out of my small body.

“Yes, yes, I’m excited, too! But I can’t be your Trainer if you crush me.”

She backed off so that Pikachu and Eevee could approach. The latter screamed at Luxio for scaring the crap out of her and then wrapped him in a tight hug that he had no strength to fight against.

“Were you guys scared there? Sorry,” I laughed.

“Well, it was a good battle.” Paul stepped up to us and handed over my bag. “Though I think you have a lot of practice to do against Dragon-types. You both were overpowered pretty quickly based on what I saw.”

“That just means we have work to do, huh?” Luxio agreed.

From behind me, Dratini mewled.

“Oh, right.” I smiled at her. “We have Dragonair’s blessing, but I still feel the need to ask just to make sure. Do you still want me to be your Trainer? Not saying we can never come back here, but it might be awhile. Will you be okay?”

She eyed her mother for a brief moment before eagerly nodding her head.

“Okay!” I retrieved my final Safari Ball. “Then, no doubt this last Poké Ball will be put to good use. Ready? Dratini, you’re mine!”

My aim was excellent. I thought I’d catch Dratini no problem and claim her as my final capture in the Safari Zone. It was perfect, until I realized that I had forgotten about a certain problematic Pokémon.

Psyduck jumped in the way of the ball yet again, causing it to fail, and break!!

“Psyduck!!!”

The remnants of the shattered Poké Ball vanished into thin air, leaving us all gob-smacked.

Well, all of us except Psyduck.

“I can’t believe this. You’re a pain, you know that. You’ll be lucky if I don’t trade you away the second we leave this place.”

Psyduck turned his head.

Sighing in frustration, I dropped to my knees and stared at Dratini. “Oh, what now? I can’t very well smuggle you back out of the park. It’s impossible with Kaiser keeping such a close eye on the guests.” I gazed at the saddened Pokémon. “Maybe this means you really should stay here?”

Dratini’s sad mewl broke my heart, but what could I do without another Safari Ball?

_ Damn, Psyduck!! _

“Maybe not.”

“What? Can you fit Dratini in your jacket, Paul, and have her go  _ completely _ undetected? Face it. I don’t see how we can get her out of the Safari Zone without a—”

A green Poké Ball appeared in front of my face.

“Ball?”

I stared at the device with a clueless expression, no words coming from my mouth.

“Well, I’m not going to sit here all day. You gonna take it or what?”

I turned to find Paul kneeling at my side and glaring at me.

“Well?!”

“But...but...I don’t understand. I thought you said you were out of Safari Balls.”

“Duh. I lied. I was saving it in case we ran into an especially powerful Pokémon.”

“Well then, why are you giving it to me?”

“Because you need it more than I do, and technically, it’s yours, too. We paid for this session together.” He pushed the ball into my hand and wrapped my fingers around it. “So quit the stupid questions and take it.”

“Are…” I gazed at him. “Are you sure?”

“Hey, I want Dratini to come along just as much as you do. If you wanna talk about strength, who has more potential than a Dragon-type?” He rubbed Dratini’s head before looking back at me. “So, catch her already.”

A weird feeling overcame me, one that felt like billions of butterflies in my stomach. It left me speechless, so I responded to Paul’s words with only a slight nod and a very slight smile—a smile that I had no chance of hiding from him.

I turned to the serpent in front of me. “You heard him. Ready to become part of the team?”

Dratini waved her head back and forth.

Before releasing the Poké Ball, I took extra care to prevent any further screw-ups.

“Paul, where’s Psyduck?”

He held the yellow duck in his arms, who struggled to break free. “Right here. He’s not moving from this spot. If he moves, he gets zapped. Right, guys?”

Pikachu and Luxio both nodded.

“Thanks, guys. Here goes, then!” I gave the ball a toss.

Dratini sprung up, smacked the ball with her forehead, entered, and got herself caught without a problem. When the light on the Poké Ball’s button faded away, my excitement boiled over: Dratini and I had officially cemented our connection. I snatched the ball and thrust it into the air with the biggest smile ever.

“ _ I caught Dratini!! _ ”

“Shhhh!” hissed Paul. “Don’t want anyone else to find this place.”

“Ah, right. Sorry.” I stuck my tongue out.

With a slight grin, Paul stepped away from the lake. “Come on. Kaiser will know that all of our Safari Balls have been used up, and he’ll be expecting us.”

Dragonair flew up to me and nudged my side.

“Ah, right. Dratini, come out.” I released the serpent and held her high enough to give her mother one last nuzzle. “Thank you again, Dragonair. I promise to take great care of this little one and help her grow as strong as you. It’ll be just as if she was my own child.”

Dragonair lifted her head up and licked my cheek before floating away. Luxio, Eevee, Dratini, and Pikachu all waved goodbye to her.

“Hurry up, Rosa! The pagers are going off!” called Paul.

“Ah, we’re coming! Goodbye, Dragon…” When I looked back, Dragonair had disappeared completely, replaced only by a thick veil of fog over the lake. “Oh, I guess she went back home.” Dratini wriggled in my arms. “Better catch up to Paul, then. Don’t let me forget to repay him for what he’s done?” She nodded.

“Better not be talking trash!”

“Don’t worry! We are!” I recalled Dratini and hurried after him.

Somehow, Paul and I found our way back out of the Dragon Valley. We stepped onto the dry grasslands of the Safari Zone, and from there we retraced our steps back to the front gate where Kaiser would be expecting us.

“I’ll tell you what. Not having Dratini in my bag makes it a lot easier on my back, and now she has a warm, cozy Poké Ball to nap inside instead. Honestly, what did they ever do without Poké Balls?”

Luxio and Pikachu argued against my comment.

“Well, you both may not like them, but all the others sure do. I haven’t gotten any complaints from anyone else. Now, zip it before I send you inside.”

Paul snickered.

His tone irritated me. “What? Got something to share with the rest of the class?”

“It’s nothing. You just sound like a mom scolding her kids.”

“I do?” I grimaced and looked at my Pokémon. “Sorry, then.”

“I didn’t say it was a bad thing.”

“Well, the term  _ scolding _ is never used in a good way. And I suppose I don’t often get compared to a parent.”

“Oh, yeah. Uh, speaking of parents, can I ask something, Rosa?”

I locked onto his rare use of my name. “Sure, but no need to be so formal.”

He took a moment before releasing a question that’s been on his mind for a few minutes now.

“Do you want to become a mom?”

The oddball question brought me to a quick halt.

After processing the question thoroughly, my face went red, red, red. I threw my leg forward and kicked him, sending him into the ground. “What kind of a  _ stupid _ question is that?! You better not be thinking anything weird!”

Luxio and Pikachu yelled at him, too; apparently, they had processed the question the same way I did.

He sat up with grit teeth. “Ow, dammit! I’m not, I’m not. You just mentioned something earlier to Dragonair about having a child of your own, and I got curious, I guess. That’s all! Don’t misinterpret it.”

“ _ Misinterpret _ ?! How else was I supposed to interpret that, you dumbass?!” I started walking again and refused to say another word until the heat in my face subsided.

When it did, I answered his question.

“I suppose I’ve never really thought about it.”

“What about your mom? Didn’t you ever want to follow in her footsteps?”

I shot him a nasty glare. “Don’t tell me you’re a sexist creep. Just because I’m a girl doesn’t mean I’m destined to become a mother.”

“I’m not saying that, and I certainly don’t think that. But I remember always watching my mom take care of me and Reggie, and it made a tiny part of me want to become a parent, at least when I was little. I wondered if I could do it as well as she did. Didn’t you ever get that feeling watching your mom?”

I stared at the ground. “No. Not one bit. I never wanted to copy my mother. Ever.”

“Really? Was she abusive or something?”

“I don’t remember.”

He stopped walking entirely. “You...don’t?”

“Nope.” I looked back at him. “Sure don’t. I can’t even remember what she looked like. I imagine she’s where I get some of my looks,” I pushed a strand of hair away from my eyes, “but I’ll never know for certain.”

“Oh.” He looked away with an apologetic face. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. I don’t care. I’m not some sad orphan who grew up in a series of foster homes. I had my brother and his Pokémon, and Luxio, so I turned out just fine.” I hopped forward to pat his shoulder. When he lifted his head to look at me, I gave him the biggest smile I could muster. “Now, come on! We shouldn’t keep Kaiser waiting. Right?”

He gave a curt nod. “Right.”

As we hurried back to the Safari Zone, Paul couldn’t help but think:

_ That smile felt forced, didn’t it? _

★

Back inside the gatehouse, Kaiser processed our Poké Balls while waiting for the other Trainers to finish up. We handed over the basket of occupied Safari Balls and the fishing rod. He used a special device to remove tiny chips from each of the Poké Balls’ buttons; that way the balls could leave the park without causing any issues.

“I want to thank you kids for obeying the rules of the Safari Zone. It seems your adventure today went off without any issues?”

“Oh yeah. We caught some great Pokémon,” replied Paul.

“And it was lots of fun!” I added while hanging from Kaiser’s Magneton as it floated around the room. Upon my request, the magnet Pokémon hit me with an electric shock to make my hair frizz up and sparkle. “Though unfortunately there were no wild Magnemite or Magneton for me to catch. Maybe I’ll find one closer to the city.”

“Maybe,” chuckled the old man, while Paul quickly apologized for my behavior. “And I must say I’m impressed. Together, you two were able to catch more Pokémon than any Trainer on record, all of which had thirty Poké Balls each as opposed to fifteen.”

“Really? It was only, what, twenty-one Pokémon total?”

“Well, the average Trainer who comes here leaves with ten to fifteen Pokémon.”

“What can we say? We have a knack for finding awesome Pokémon, and there were lots of ‘em out there. Right, guys?” Luxio and Pikachu agreed with me while standing atop Magneton.

“Well then, I ask that you take care of them.” Kaiser returned the basket to us. “And show them all what the outside world has to offer.”

“We will. Thank you!”

All the other Trainers had returned by the end of the hour, whether due to their time running out or no more Poké Balls. Just as Kaiser said, few of them returned with more than ten captured Pokémon.

“Maybe we just got lucky?” I whispered to Paul.

He replied with a smug grin and a shrug. “Or we’re just better Trainers. I prefer option B.”

Once everyone had returned and processed their Poké Balls, we all grouped together outside the gatehouse with Kaiser. We recalled fond memories while watching the warden lock up the park for the night. Then, we thanked him for allowing us access to the park and bid him farewell all as a group.

And just as the sun started to set, everyone went their separate ways.

Paul and I headed back to the Fuchsia City Pokémon Center together with our three shoulder-riding Pokémon and our basket of newly-acquired, safari Pokémon.

“So, tomorrow we’re off to Saffron City, right?” I asked

“That’s the plan. When we get back to the Center, let’s decide a good route while we sort all the Pokémon from today.”

“Only if we can grab a bite to eat first. I’m starving!”

A groan sounded from within the depths of his soul. “That should be your motto.”

“Hey, I’m always hungry! You should know that.”

“Yeah, yeah, but we should sort Pokémon first.”

“No way! Food first!”

“It’ll take too long to eat.”

“No.  _ You _ ’ll take too long to eat. I’m always done in seconds, but if it’s that big a deal, let’s just eat and work at the same time.”

“But then—”

“Nope, not listening! Come on, slowpoke! There’s that noodle shop near the Center and it closes soon! Race all of ya there!” Pikachu, Luxio, and I took off.

“I’m  _ not _ running!” he called after us, looking a little betrayed when Eevee rushed after us.

“Fine, but the last person there has to pay, and Luxio looks extra hungry!! You’re dreaming about those noodles you saw in the brochure, huh?” He looked close to drooling.

That was all the motivation Paul needed to chase us.

“Oh no, you don’t! Luxio, you eat any more noodles and you’ll get fat!”

“Hey, you can’t just stop loving noodles!”

And that was my argument the entire race to the restaurant, which I won—easily.

That was the end of our Safari Zone Adventure, a day that all of us would remember for a very long time. It was onto new adventures from there, but we had no idea of the adventures awaiting us just around the corner. In just a few weeks, we’d be facing some of the toughest trials in our Pokémon career. Me. Paul. Luxio. All of us would go through many obstacles.

Our skills.

Our bonds.

Our emotions.

Everything would be tested.

And those tests didn’t know the meaning of the word  _ mercy _ .


	39. It's Training Time!

Paul and I departed from the Pokémon Center before the sun peeked over the horizon. Our planned route required a minimum of two weeks time to complete, heading east along the coastline and then north all the way to Saffron. Though I grumbled and complained when Paul shook me awake, it was a mutual agreement amongst the entire team to rise even before the fiery ball of light.

Because the sooner we started, the sooner we’d arrive at our final destination, and the sooner we’d have two more badges in our possession.

“Ahhhh… I can’t believe I agreed to get up this early. I’m  _ not _ a morning person.”

“Good thing I am. Just be glad I offered to bike for the first half.”

One of my arms gripped Paul’s jacket, and the other held Luxio in my lap. I removed my hand from around the sleepy cat to flick Paul’s head. “I should make you bike the  _ entire _ way. You’re still crap at it.”

“Hey, watch it, Girlie! I’m driving here!”

“Yeah, yeah. Don’t call me that...” I relaxed my head against Paul’s shoulder, no other viable options for a pillow. My fingers gripped his jacket much tighter. “Wake me up when it’s my turn, ‘k?”

Trying to ignore his nerves going haywire, Paul pulled my arm around his waist. “At least hang on properly so you don’t fall off.” He checked over Eevee and Pikachu curled up together in the basket, and then continued to pedal, quietly, to not wake anyone.

Thanks to Paul’s efforts, I managed to get an extra hour of sleep. It was impressive, considering his lack of experience not too long ago.

His reward: switching shifts a lot earlier than we agreed.

The second I began my turn at pedaling, he fell asleep with Luxio in his arms.

_ So much for being a morning person. _

We switched every hour until just after ten o’clock. Both of us were exhausted by that point and needed a break, and our Pokémon needed to stretch their legs. Plus, lunch was right around the corner, and we wouldn’t reach the next settlement for several hours.

Just off the main road, we discovered a comfortable, grassy spot near a lake. Trees dotted the area to break up the harsh sunlight, and with the lack of both people and wild Pokémon, we deemed it the perfect place to give the team some fresh air.

It was also perfect for some training.

“Come back with Aerial Ace!”

Pidgeotto spun multiple times while avoiding the last of a leaf cyclone. Then, after a graceful u-turn, she tucked in her wings, cloaked herself in light, and dived straight at her opponent.

“Excellent form! All that practice with Fearow has paid off!”

Fearow watched the battle from the closest tree, smiling at my praise.

“Don’t get too excited,” smirked his trainer. “Stone Edge!”

Torterra howled and stomped on the ground. Rather than shooting out grey stones from his body, he instead caused multiple jagged, light-blue pillars to appear out of the dirt and rush towards my bird.

“Since when could Stone Edge be used like that?!”

“Since now!”

“Break away, Pidgeotto!” Both of us failed to react in time. A rock pillar emerged directly underneath my bird, smashed into her stomach, and sent her flying. She landed on the grass in front of me. “Ah! Pidgeotto, can you keep going?” She groaned before rising to her feet. “Gotta hand it to Paul for teaching his Pokémon a new trick.”

“Good, Torterra. Flying-types aren’t a problem if they can’t reach you.” Torterra responded with a prideful roar. “Now, keep up the pressure with Energy Ball. Don’t let Pidgeotto return to the air!”

“That won’t stop us. Agility, let’s go!” Pidgeotto took off like a missile, expertly dodging all incoming projectiles.

“You need to control your shots better! Try to predict where Pidgeotto is going, not where she is!” Once he narrowed his eyes, Torterra suddenly possessed a greater level of accuracy and precision, nearly shooting my bird out of the sky a few times.

One of the Energy Balls came alarmingly close, but Pidgeotto and I refused to be defeated.

“Flying-types don’t have to be close to inflict damage. Gust!”

Instead of just a simple whirlwind, Pidgeotto released multiple light-blue energy blades from her glowing wings. One of the disc-like blades sliced through Torterra’s remaining Energy Balls. This opened a path for the rest of Pidgeotto’s attack to score a direct hit to the Continent Pokémon’s face.

“Wow! Was that Air Slash? Great job, Pidgeotto!”

When the dust settled, we found Torterra knocked out.

“Well, that’s that,” sighed Paul before stepping over to his Pokémon’s side to lecture him.

“Woohoo! Another win for our side! Nice battling, Pidgeotto!” She landed on the ground in front of me, unfolded her wings, and emitted a victorious cry, before beginning to glow. I gasped. “Is this what I think it is?”

Pidgeotto grew two feet taller and sprouted colorful, glossy feathers on her head. Her tail feathers increased in length and turned to a bright shade of red. When her evolution finished, she spread her wings to reveal her new-and-improved wingspan: nearly three times that of her previous form!

“Yay! You’re a Pidgeot now!” While the others all stared in awe, I embraced my Pokémon. “Congrats! Proof of your hard work, and I'm proud of you!” She sunk deeper into my tight hug, her feathers tickling my face.

Fearow flew down from his roost to say congrats. Torterra also paid his respects.

“It’s just an evolution. What are you two praising them for?” snapped Paul. “If you ask me, Pidgeot should’ve evolved a long time ago.”

“Thanks for the kind words, Paul,” I grumbled, and Pidgeot hissed at him. Then, I went over to give Torterra an Oran Berry and rub his head. “Nice battling, Torterra. No matter what this jerk says, just know that I was very impressed.”

Torterra looked between myself and Pidgeot before speaking. Fearow chimed in.

I turned my head. “What’d they say?”

Paul gave his Pokémon a look. “Really? You think so?” Torterra and Fearow pointed at both of us with a vine and beak, respectively. Eevee jumped onto Torterra’s back and agreed with the statement. “You, too?” Clearly exasperated with her Trainer, she hopped onto my shoulder and yelled at him. “Nope. I don’t see it.”

“See what? What are you guys talking about? Spit it out!”

“They all think you and Pidgeot look alike.”

“Really?” Pidgeot and I exchanged looks. “How?”

Torterra extended its vines, reached around my back, and gently lifted my hair.

“Because of the hair?” I looked to Pidgeot again, noting the length of the feathers on her head. “Oh yeah. That makes sense.” I rubbed her head. “I guess these boys prefer ladies with long hair, huh?”

She responded with a quick chirp.

While Fearow nodded, Paul’s face reddened, so he quickly turned on his Pokémon. “Go back to bed already, you overgrown pigeon.” Fearow shrieked, jabbed his trainer in the side, and perched up in Torterra’s tree while he and Paul bickered.

Ignoring them, I turned to my four-foot tall bird. “Hey. Since you’re a Pidgeot now, think you’re strong enough to carry me on your back?” Only one way to find out, she turned her back towards me and unfolded her wings. My excitement boiled over. “Alright!”

“What are you doing?”

“Taking advantage of my fully-evolved flying Pokémon and the opportunity I’ve just been given. Okay, Pidgeot! Ready for takeoff!” She flapped her wings and slowly rose into the air. It took me a second to adjust myself on her back, during which I might’ve pulled a few feathers; I apologized.

“Hey, quit messing around! We still have training to do!”

“You’re kidding, right? The gang’s exhausted, Paul!”

Our entire Pokémon team lazed about the place, taking naps in the grass or cooling off in the water. Every single one had participated in at least a little bit of intensive training; the only exception was Li’l Kanga, who, despite eager to battle, we deemed too young to participate in even a tiny practice match. Mama Kanga supported that decision.

“I say we take a break,” I continued. “It’s just about lunchtime, anyway.”

“Well then, where are you going? There’s no meal without the head chef.”

“I’m just, uh…” Pikachu suddenly leaped onto Pidgeot’s back with a small basket in her mouth, quickly followed by Paul’s Eevee. They came up with the best lie ever. “Haha, yeah, exactly! We’re gonna go find some berries. I’m running low, and I can’t make good food without them. Just get everything started, and I’ll be back to help real quick.”  _ I’m sure these two just wanted a ride on Pidgeot’s back... _

“Huh?! You know I can’t cook to save my life!”

Luxio rushed up beside Paul, pleading for me to not let him cook.

“Take care of everyone, Luxio. Let’s go, Pidgeot!”

“And where are you going with Eevee?!”

Paul wasted his breath, figuring it out only as we disappeared over the treetops. He released an exasperated sigh, letting his head and shoulders slump forward, and ran a hand across his face. “Dammit. Why the hell does she have to be such a pain?”

As he turned back to the group, Paul caught sight of Torterra, Fearow, Luxio, and Nidorino eyeing him with mischievous looks. He glared right back at them. “What are you guys looking at?”

They all snickered.

“Shut the hell up!”

Paul stormed off to find a Pokémon who wouldn’t tease him and knew how to cook.

I stayed out with the girls for twenty minutes or so. With Pidgeot’s keen eyesight, we found several bountiful berry trees, and not too long after we began our search, our basket was filled to the brim. At that point, we decided to head back to camp.

We returned to a pack of hungry Pokémon and a rather incompetent human cook. He got a pot of water boiling, but beyond that, Luxio and the others strongly urged him to wait for me. So when I showed up, everyone’s faces lit up with hopeful smiles!

“Alright, I suppose that’s enough torture. Who’s hungry?”

Everyone cheered and offered to help wherever possible.

Paul went off to brood. He returned five minutes later offering to give me a hand if it meant being able to eat my cooking. I admitted defeat. After all, with several more mouths to feed, I needed all the help I could get.

And not too long after that:

“ _ Lunch is served! _ ”

All the Pokémon cheered once more before chowing down.

Once they started on their food, I went over and sat by Paul.

“And for you, sir.”

Paul received a bowl of curry and gazed at it with teary eyes. “I’m so glad I didn’t make this. It looks edible.”

“It’s more than edible. It’s delicious. Just make sure to eat it before it gets cold.”

Unable to resist any longer, Paul shoveled a huge spoonful into his mouth and carefully absorbed the delicious flavor into his soul. I was slightly worried that he would  _ actually _ start crying. “It  _ is _ delicious. Like always.”

“It’s  _ decent _ , like always. I still have a ways to go before I’m an expert chef.”

While processing another spoonful, he eyed the pot of curry resting on a hot plate at the lowest setting. “You made quite a lot, though. We’ll probably have leftovers.”

“Good. I hoped we would. The leftover curry can be turned into curry buns, which then can be frozen and reheated fairly easily. The ideal food for busy travelers like ourselves, so make sure you’re excited for them.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he teased.

We both fell into silence as we ate our lunch. It took a moment before he spoke again.

“Uh, listen. Thanks.”

Spoon in my mouth, I curiously looked over at him. “Hrm?”

“I bet it’s tempting to let me starve for being such a pain in the neck.”

“You’re not really a pain in the neck. Now, if you were to call yourself a pain in the  _ ass _ , I’d have to agree…”

He scowled.

“But, you’re welcome,” I giggled upon witnessing a typical Paul response. “I wanted to thank you, too. For helping out. Cooking is going to be a lot more difficult with all the additions to our team.”

He stared out at our massive Pokémon collection. “Yeah. I can imagine. We caught, what, twenty new Pokémon in the Safari Zone?”

“Twenty-one, actually.”

“Huh? Did you forget how to count, Girlie? We only used ten Poké Balls each, plus one for Dratini, but she was already part of the group. Psyduck broke the rest.”

“Yeah. He sure did,” I groaned.

The troublesome duck ate lunch with Horsea, Wartortle, and the two new Poliwag. He fit in with our team about as well as anyone else, though he found it difficult to feel comfortable around Paul’s terrifying twenty-foot tall serpent. A few other newcomers were unsettled by Gyarados’s appearance as well, except for Dratini.

Ever since meeting Gyarados, Dratini’s stuck to his side like glue, unfazed by his intimidating gaze or the bared fangs that were rumored to be able to crush stone. Maybe she liked him so much due to also being a serpentine creature?

“The extra Pokémon is Li’l Kanga,” I continued after first throwing my spoon at Paul’s face. “Remember that both Kangaskhan currently occupy one ball.”

“Ah, right. Does that mean they’ll stay like that until she gets older?”

“Whatever works for them will work for me, too.” Li’l Kanga shared a bowl of food with Cubone, with Mama Kanga sitting nearby. The two little ones had become friends the instant they met. “Make sure you get your fair share of the meal, too, Mama Kanga. There’s more than enough!”

Mama Kanga acknowledged my statement with a wide grin.

“But, don’t you think it’s strange?”

“What’s strange?”

“That we have so many Pokémon with us. You and I both have far more Pokémon than the usual limit. Trainers normally are allowed to carry a maximum of six Pokémon at a time, and the rest are transported to a place for safekeeping.”

“Oh yeah. I forgot about that little detail.” As I scanned over the multiple heads, I pursed my lips. “Now that you mention it, it’s a little odd that they’re all still here. But, where would they even go?”

“They say your Pokémon gets transported to wherever you received your Pokédex.”

“That means ours should’ve been sent to Professor Rowan?”

He nodded.

I touched a hand to my chin. “If that’s the case, you think Professor Rowan would have reminded us about that system. Maybe that means he just never bothered to set it up, or maybe he forgot?”

“He is on the old side.”

“Or maybe he just thought we could handle it.”

“You really think we can handle this many Pokémon at one? Our food budget alone is going to drive us insane. And what about our belts, huh? They can only hold so many Poké Balls.”

“Just do what I’ve been doing. Carry six on your belt and store the rest in your bag, and whenever you need to change the lineup, take a minute to switch them out real quick. It’s very simple.”

“I still think it would be less of a hassle overall to transport some of the Pokémon.”

“Where would you send them, then?”

“Well, we could follow the base rule. We call Professor Rowan and ask if he’d be willing to receive all of our extra Pokémon. No, wait. On second thought, let’s make him a Plan B. His lab didn’t look properly equipped to handle that many Pokémon.”

“How about Professor Oak? When it comes to being properly equipped, his lab has all the space necessary to care for hundreds of Pokémon. Plus, under his care, I’d be confident that my Pokémon wouldn’t be locked up in a storage room all day. They can stretch their legs out in the Oak Corral.”

“Oak Corral?”

“Yeah. Didn’t you pass through Pallet Town when you first got here? The professor owns a bunch of land around his lab. It’s like paradise for the Pokémon.”

“Sure sounds nice, but wouldn’t you rather have your Pokémon kept somewhere in your home region? In our case, Sinnoh?”

“Good point. Where else, then?”

“How about just sending them home?”

I chuckled. “Ha. Yeah, that’s funny. Send them home.”

His eyebrow lifted. “What? Your home is the Sunyshore Gym, right? There has to be tons of rooms for Pokémon.”

“Not tons, actually. There’s just the gym and the house, neither of which are equipped to handle more than a handful of Pokémon, and I don’t just want to dump all my Pokémon onto Volt. He has his own Pokémon to worry about, and his gym responsibilities, too. I can maybe send Electric-types to help with his training, but that’s about it…”

“Oh! What about my house?”

“Really? You have lots of space and a person with nothing better to do but take care of tons of Pokémon all day?”

“Yep.”

“Wait, seriously?!”

“Reggie’s the only one who lives at home. He’s a Pokémon Breeder, so taking care of other people’s Pokémon is all he does. We own a huge amount of land he converted into his own Pokémon corral. And with his can-do attitude, no doubt he’ll be up to watching a fresh batch of Pokémon.”

I laughed at the way he grumbled out that last part. “Don’t sound so ungrateful for such a lucky break. Wish I had access to something so convenient. Maybe I’ll call Professor Rowan anyway and see if he has any suggestions.”

“Hold on. I just gave you a suggestion.”

“You did?”

“My brother. Remember?”

It took me a moment. “You meant for both of us?!”

He sighed. “You’re pretty dense, aren’t you?”

I chucked my shoe at his face. “Gimme a break, Paul! I would never automatically assume it’d be okay to just dump all my Pokémon onto your brother without asking first. I’ve never even talked to the guy.”

“Come on. Reggie would be more than happy to do it, and then all your Pokémon will be together with someone you can trust. Tell you what. Next town we reach, I’ll find a phone, call him, and ask about it. Does that sound like a plan?”

“Are you sure, Paul? If there’s one thing I hate being, it’s a burden, especially when it concerns someone I’ve never met.”

“You need to quit worrying. You’re already a slight burden on me,” he caught the next shoe that flew at his face, “and yet I’m still offering. What does that tell you?”

“That you’re looking for something to hold over my head?”

“No, that’s not it!” He gazed down at his half-empty curry bowl as though awaiting the telling of his fortune from the diced-potato gods. “This isn’t blackmail. Definitely not. Instead, you could just call it,” I heard him swallow back the lump in his throat, “ _ trying to make amends _ .”

My mouth fell open.

“It’s my way of trying to make it up to you...for what happened.”

After a moment, my lips curved upward. “Oh. I get it. There  _ is _ an ulterior motive behind your offer, but it’s not a bad one.” I let out a giggle. “That just means you’re even more clueless and airheaded than I am.”

“What do you—?”

“Forget it!” I sprung onto my feet. “Come on. I’m nice and full, so I’m ready for some more training.”

“Huh?! How do you even eat that fast?!” Paul began shoveling curry into his mouth.

While collecting my empty bowl and any other dirty dishes, I failed to stop the smile from growing wider and wider on my face.  _ He hasn’t noticed it, has he? That he’s already started making amends. _

_ And it’s working. _

Paul finished his food and helped me clean up from lunch.

Once finished, we returned to our training: a series of one-on-one matches between various pairings of our Pokémon. Paul and I stressed the ability to overcome any type advantages that the opponent may or may not have in any given situation. For example, the Fire-types battled the Water-types. The Water-types battled the Grass-types. And Luxio took on a Pokémon with his most obvious weakness.

“Okay! Rhyhorn versus Luxio! You go first, Paul!”

“Got it! Rhyhorn use Rock Blast!” Upon Paul’s command, Rhyhorn fired his attack.

“Defend with Swift!” Our barrage of gold stars negated Rhyhorn’s rocks.

“Take Down!” Rhyhorn swiped his foot against the ground, howled, and then charged straight for Luxio.

“Alright, here he comes. You were able to bring down Brock’s Onix, so let’s see if we can replicate that power. Shock Wave!” Luxio growled and released an enormous amount of electricity that barreled straight toward Rhyhorn.

The Rhino Pokémon took a direct hit to the face, but he was unfazed and continued on a one-track path for Luxio.

“It didn’t do anything!” called Paul.

“You’ve gotta increase your output, Luxio!” Baring his teeth, Luxio dug his claws into the ground and tensed his muscles. The electricity coming off his body started to grow exponentially, sparking and crackling all over the place.

Unfortunately, Rhyhorn still didn’t look bothered a single bit, even as the blinding electricity cut out some of his vision.

_ Wait… _

Upon closer inspection, the lightning bolt struck him perfectly on his horn and nowhere else.

I raised a hand to my mouth. “Could it be...that?”

With Luxio unable to slow him down, Rhyhorn slammed into him and sent him flying backward.

I rushed over to help him stand. “You alright, Luxio?”

He mewled, disappointed in himself for failing to slow Rhyhorn even a little.

“No. Your attacks were as powerful as can be. That wasn’t the issue.”

I then went over and crouched beside Rhyhorn, rubbing his horn. “Did the attack only hit you here?”

He blinked in surprise and then nodded.

Paul stepped over to us. “What’s wrong?”

“I think I might’ve just discovered Rhyhorn’s ability.”

“Really?”

“But, I need to be totally sure.” I rose to my feet, took a step away from everyone, and stared at Luxio. “Hey, pal, do me a favor and use Shock Wave on me.”

Everyone gasped.

“Are you crazy?! Rhyhorn may not have felt anything, but you’ll get fried!”

I ignored his warning. “Just do it, Luxio. Give me your best Shock Wave ever. Maximum voltage." When a sense of worry clouded his usual confidence, I shot him a smirk. “I promise it’ll be fine.”

Luxio looked between us all, but with his undying loyalty, he would obey. He grit his teeth and launched Shock Wave, the huge surge of lightning coming straight at me. I braced for impact on the slim chance that my hypothesis would be proved wrong.

Fortunately, it wasn't.

At the last second, the lightning bolt changed direction and hit Rhyhorn’s horn instead. This left Luxio, Paul, and even Rhyhorn very surprised.

“What...happened?”

“That’s called Lightning Rod,” was my reply, along with a widening smile.

“Lightning Rod?”

“It’s a special ability that draws in all electrical attacks to the user, whether they were used by an opponent or an ally, and completely neutralizes them. The ability user takes no damage, and they also get a little bit of an attack boost.”

“Wow. I didn’t know an ability like that existed.”

“Yep. It’s one of my favorites.” After giving an Oran Berry to Luxio, I crouched beside Rhyhorn again. “And, it means that I can teach Rhyhorn how to use Electric-type attacks."

Wartortle waddled over to comment.

“That’s right. Giovanni's Rhyhorn was able to use Thunder Bolt, huh? Yep, we'll be able to teach our Rhyhorn the attack as well.”

“Who’s Giovanni?”

I jumped out of my skin, realizing my voice wasn't as quiet as it should’ve been. “O-Oh, it's nobody important. Forget I said it.”

Paul looked a little suspicious, but he thought it best not to pursue the topic. “Well, anyway, how’s it even possible for Rhyhorn to learn electrical attacks? He's a Rock and Ground-type.”

“True, but there are lots of Pokémon who can learn Electric-type attacks without being an Electric-type themselves. I think Gyarados can learn Thunder Bolt. Nidorina and Nidorino, too, and probably a few others."

The Pokémon in question all tuned into the conversation.

Paul glanced at each of them. “Well then, why are you only focused on Rhyhorn learning the attacks as opposed to the others? Is there a requirement or something?”

“Kind of. You see, thanks to his ability, Rhyhorn knows what it feels like to be in contact with that much electricity, and he knows what it feels like  _ without _ taking damage. Learning the attacks will be much easier for him versus the others who all take damage from the electricity. Make sense?"

He put a hand to his chin, processing the information as best he could. “I think so, but I'm more of a hands-on learner. You should probably just show me.”

“We're getting to that. Don't you worry. Ooh, this is super exciting!” I looked back to the rhino sitting at my feet. “So, what do you say, Rhyhorn? Up for some special Electric-type training?”

He agreed without any hesitation.

“Awesome! By the end of the day, you'll be firing off all sorts of Electric-type moves.”

“Hey, I know I’m confident in my abilities, but you really think you're capable enough to teach Rhyhorn a move in a single day, and straight from scratch?!”

“Of course. Watch.”

Grumbling to himself, Paul and everyone else backed up a little.

“Okay, Rhyhorn. In order to use Thunder Bolt, you first need to focus on that electrical feeling consuming you, because it will. Fortunately, with Lightning Rod, there’s no danger of getting shocked.

“You have to spread the electricity all over your body, starting from a single point. Luxio’s primary point is his tail. Pikachu’s primary point is the electric sacs in her cheeks. Yours will be your horn. Understand?”

He nodded.

“The electricity will spread from your horn, and from there, you release. Let’s try it. First, build up that energy in your horn.”

Rhyhorn closed his eyes to focus. After a few silent moments of pure concentration, yellow sparks flew off his horn.

Paul’s jaw dropped. “He’s already doing it?!”

“Good job, Rhyhorn! Keep building that energy, and when you can’t hold it anymore, just let it go.”

The electricity crackled and popped against Rhyhorn’s forehead, though thanks to his special ability, he felt nothing. He continued the energy buildup until he started to sweat. Finally, he roared, reared up on his back legs, and launched a small lightning bolt upon landing back on the ground. The attack scorched a patch of dirt ten feet from our location.

I threw my arms into the air. “There it is! That was Thunder Bolt!”

“He already learned Thunder Bolt?!”

I jumped and jumped and jumped for joy. “You did it! That was amazing!”

Rhyhorn tried Thunder Bolt again. He first built up the energy. Then, he fired. With each attempt, the attack increased exponentially in terms of power. However, we quickly realized that it would be his accuracy that needed work.

“Whoa!” yelped Paul as he jumped to avoid getting struck.

“Whoops, sorr—Ah!” A second bolt flew past my head. “Alright, Rhyhorn. Take it easy and focus on controlling your attack after it’s launched...”

But, he had already released the third attack.


	40. A Sky Full of Stars

Rhyhorn’s third attempt at Thunder Bolt hit our one and only bike, right in the center, and completely destroyed it! “The bike’s extra crispy!” I shrieked, stunned by Rhyhorn’s raw attack power.

Of course, Paul immediately scolded him. “You could’ve at least tried to avoid the bike!!”

Rhyhorn whimpered and began weeping crocodile tears.

My hand struck Paul upside the head. “Don’t yell at my Pokémon, you ass!” I then scratched underneath Rhyhorn’s chin. The Pokémon purred at the contact and kicked his back foot like a dog. “Sweet Rhyhorn, don’t listen to a word he says. Accidents happen. A little walking never hurt anyone anyhow.” Then, I shot a glare in Paul’s direction. “I thought you didn’t even like riding bikes?”

He pouted like a child. “Like it or not, it beats walking.”

“Well, buy a bike in the next town.”

“No, I really shouldn’t. We can’t afford it.”

“Then, quit complaining! Now, Rhyhorn, what do you say we call it for your electric training? We shouldn’t push too far. We’ll work on your aim another time, but at least now you’re able to produce a lightning bolt and launch it.”

Rhyhorn agreed.

That gave Paul the chance to finally ask the one question on his mind:

“Hey, if you’re done with Rhyhorn, how’s about teaching the others?”

I stared at Paul, a bit shocked that he so bluntly asked for my help. “What? You mean Thunder Bolt?”

“Or any electric attack,” he replied. “It’d be useful for them to know, no doubt. I don’t have any Electric-types, but if I had Pokémon who could use electric attacks, we’d have better coverage. You think you could teach some of my Pokémon?”

“Well, I can, but without an ability like Lightning Rod, it’ll be much harder.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because without that safeguard against the high voltage, they’ll most likely shock themselves a few times during the learning process. That also leads to a slight risk of inducing paralysis.”

“That’s alright.”

I shot him a look. “Why don’t you ask the Pokémon if they’re alright with that, too?”

“Fine.” Paul turned to his—slightly smaller—collection of Pokémon. “Who wants to learn Electric-type attacks?”

Torterra felt indifferent, though he couldn’t learn the move even if he wanted, and neither could any of the other Grass-types. Tauros and Primeape also couldn’t care less. And it was a hard pass from Fearow, Dodrio, and all Water-types, with the sole exception of Gyarados. He seemed eager to add another deadly weapon to his collection of attacks.

“And Gyarados has already been hit by a Thunder Bolt, so he may actually have an easier time replicating that energy,” I noted. When Gyarados glared at me, I quickly apologized for bringing up the incident that led to his capture.

Kadabra could learn how to use Shock Wave instead of Thunder Bolt, and he could do it fairly easily with his psychic abilities.

“What about any of the Eevee?” asked Paul. “At least one must be capable.”

“Not unless they evolve into Jolteon.”

“Huh?! Well, we have Thunder Stones, don’t we?”

“Not we.  _ Me _ , and I have a few. One is for Pikachu in case she ever changes her mind. The others are extras, but no way in hell am I giving you either of them so you can force anyone to evolve.”

“Oh, come on. Evolving one of the Eevee would give me a guaranteed Electric-type attacker.”

“I said no! You know how I feel about that.”

“I do, but… Here. Eevee!” Hearing her name, the smaller of his two Eevee skipped over to us. “Tell me something. Do you want to evolve into a Jolteon? It’s really simple. All you need to do is touch a Thunder Stone. Like this.”

He suddenly jerked me close and rifled through my bag.

“Hey! Get out of there!”

“I just need a—”

A flurry of Shadow Balls hit Paul in the face, knocking him over.

Papa Eevee, the shiny one, pulled his little girl into a hug while growling at Paul.

“See? I’m not the only one who feels that way about forcing an evolution. Plus, personally, I think Eevee could use some more training and battle experience before she evolves. What do you think?” Papa Eevee agreed with my statement.

Paul sat up. “I just would like a genuine Electric-type attacker on my team.”

“Don’t be so impatient, Paul. You’ll just have to live with Gyarados and Kadabra until we can find some Electric-types. Maybe we’ll get lucky and stumble across an abandoned power plant or something?”

“Yeah, but…” Suddenly, Nidorino dashed over and barked to interrupt Paul. He stared at his trainer with wide, purple eyes and ears held back like he was pleading. “Huh? You want to learn an Electric attack, too?”

The Poison Pin Pokémon vigorously nodded his head.

“Wow. You’re sure motivated. I like that. But can Nidorino learn electric attacks?”

“I know Nidoking can. Let’s see. Dex.”

“ _ All members of the Nidoran evolution line are capable of learning Thunder Bolt. _ ”

“All members?” Nidorina had just walked up beside us, and I cast her an excitable look upon hearing the information. “That means you can learn it, too. Wanna give it a try?” She blinked once, smiled, and nodded.

Nidorino suddenly sized her up, proclaiming that he would learn it faster than her.

She responded in kind, ready to give it her all.

Their competitiveness thrilled me. “Nothing like a good rivalry to get you—AH!” A gentle hand appeared out of nowhere and gripped my shoulder, causing my legs to launch me ten feet into the air.

Haunter applauded upon witnessing the reaction he’d hoped for.

“Don’t... Don’t do that, Haunter…”

Ignoring my shakiness, he floated closer to my face and explained how he also wanted to participate in our special training.

“Really…? You, too?”

Haunter shook his head so much it nearly fell off.

“Alright, alright. You can learn, too.” I rose up and brushed the dirt off my clothes. “So, how many students do I have now?”

“Five,” answered Paul. He and the five chosen ones gazed at me with watery, puppy-dog eyes. “So, please? Teach them?”

I took a deep breath. On the exhale, I let my shoulders roll forward; I knew I’d have my work cut out for me. “Fine. I’ll do it.”

“Yes!” Paul cheered together with the Pokémon.

“BUT! Hang on! Don’t get too excited just yet. We can’t start the training right now.”

“Huh?! Why the hell not?!”

“Well, if we’re going to do some electric training with this many Pokémon, we need to stock up on extra potions and paralyze heals just in case. We’re gonna need them. Desperately, as it’s a guarantee that someone will get hurt.”

“You’ve got a point.” Paul sighed. “So, in other words, we can’t start until we reach the next town.”

“Uh-huh. Sorry.”

He sighed again, this time with much more of a dramatic flare. “Fine. As long as I don’t have a choice in the matter. You heard her, guys. So, until then, I think that wraps up the training for right now.”

They all begrudgingly agreed to wait.

“In that case,” I began, “who wants to splash in the water before we have to go?!”

Everyone aside from Paul, Torterra, and all Fire-types joined me in the water.

★

Our little troop set out on the road not too long after the training session concluded. We packed up camp with the help of our massive Pokémon collection; we needed all hands on deck since one of our goals was to reach Saffron as quickly as possible. However, without a bike, it would already take us a lot longer than we initially predicted.

Paul acted bitter because of it. He was extremely impatient to get on with the show.

I, on the other hand, savored the extra time to absorb the sights.

Two kinds of people, I suppose.

Moving as fast as our feet could carry us, we arrived at the next town just after seven o’clock. The sun had already tucked itself in for the night, so if it wasn’t for the dim light of the moon—plus the glow of my two Electric-types—I would’ve guessed we ended up in the middle of nowhere.

“Well, there it is,” announced Paul as we reached a fork in the road. The dirt trail split apart, one branch disappearing into the trees ahead and the other connecting us to a cluster of tiny houses surrounded by rice paddy fields. “Mossgreen Village.”

I counted all the buildings on one hand.

“There’s, like, nine houses total. No, wait...there’s a couple on the outskirts, but still that’s not very many. What’s the population here?”

“According to the guidebook,” he flipped through the pages, “twenty.”

The wind got knocked out of my lungs. “Twenty?!”

“Yep. It also says that due to the tiny population, there’s no Pokémon Center here.”

“Huh? That’s ridiculous! What do they expect travelers like us to do about medicine and supplies, then? And you still planned on calling Reggie, right?”

“It says there’s a medicine shop in town that is stocked with homemade remedies available for purchase. As for calling my brother, I’m sure someone would allow the use of their phone if we just ask nicely. Though I can’t imagine they’d be willing at this hour. There’s no way the medicine shop would be open either.”

I rubbed my head. “That’s just  _ great _ .”

Paul shrugged. “Nothing we can do, so no point complaining.” He stowed away the guidebook and examined our surroundings, glancing up at the moon for a moment. “Why don’t we find a spot nearby to camp? We can check out the village in the morning.”

“Sounds good. Any suggestions?”

Pikachu called to us from a break in the treeline. When we joined her, we found a lone tree sitting on a grassy hill. It overlooked the rest of the forest, and a murmuring creek that glittered underneath the moonlight.

“Nice find, Pikachu.”

We settled down around the tree. Paul, Eevee, and Pikachu replenished our water supply while Charmeleon and Growlithe started a fire. I heated up two portions of leftover curry over the roaring flames, and then left Luxio in charge of the pot while I prepared all Pokémon food. We had dinner ready by the time the others returned from the stream.

After we ate and cleaned up, it was bedtime.

The Pokémon bundled together in one massive dogpile; Psyduck was the unfortunate creature at the bottom. Some retreated to their Poké Balls for the night, and the flyers roosted up in Torterra’s tree, but the rest fell asleep on a gigantic blanket.

Being a wonderful guard Pokémon, Gyarados curled up around the gang. He dipped his tail into the water, splashed a little on the fire to snuff it out, and then closed his eyes to drift off to dreamland. His snores startled a few of the smaller Pokémon, but eventually even he went quiet as a mouse.

“That didn’t take long,” noted Paul from atop Torterra’s back.

“What did you expect? You worked them to death.” I sat beside Paul. Luxio hopped over, settled between us, and rested his head on my leg, with Dratini, Pikachu, and Eevee falling asleep nearby. The sight made me grin. “Guess we both did.”

“It wasn’t that bad. They’ll get used to it. They’re just slackers right now.”

“Quit saying that. The Pokémon are working super hard and you know it. Right, big guy?” I rubbed the grassy patch just underneath me. Torterra responded with a rumbling noise emanating from his colossal body. “Not sure if that was a response or a snore…”

After shrugging, Paul laid back with his arms behind his head and stared up at the stars.

I mimicked him.

We remained quiet for a while, listening to the sounds of the night and the snores of our sleeping Pokémon battalion. I couldn’t fall asleep as easily, though. There were too many thoughts in my head, so I couldn’t relax.

I also couldn’t resist teasing Paul, who only had eyes for the sky.

“I didn’t take you to be a stargazer.”

“I’m not. But, what else is there to look at?” He sounded a little irritated.

“Hey, hey, calm down. I’m not judging. I do it, too. Far too much.”

“Really? Know any constellations?”

I thought about it for a moment, focusing a little harder on the twinkling lights above us. “I can see Ursa Minor from here.”

“Where?”

“Right above you. See the seven stars? There’s the bowl, and the handle.”

“Oh yeah. And there’s Ursa Major above it, facing the opposite direction.”

“Those ones are the easiest to spot. They look like Teddiursa and Ursaring. They say that if a crescent moon shines on Teddiursa's forehead, those who see it will have really good dreams. Neat, huh?”

He groaned. “It’s just like you to picture the constellations as Pokémon.”

“Who  _ doesn’t _ picture constellations as Pokémon? Apart from you, I suppose, since it requires imagination and the ability to have fun.”

“Hey, I know how to have fun!”

I raised my brow. “You  _ do _ ?”

He frowned and said, “That hurts a little, you know,” and then pointed to the sky. “Want some proof? Look at the stars in between Teddiursa and Ursaring.”

“Yeah? What about them?”

“They form a line from west to east, encircling Teddiursa and then curving back, and then there’s a small group of four stars. See it?”

“Think so.”

“You’re terrible at this. Here.” He grabbed my hand and tugged it around, using my own finger as a pointer to help me spot the pattern he described. “It forms a sort of serpentine figure, doesn’t it?”

While trying to ignore the weird tingling sensation on my skin, I nodded. “Yeah. It does.”

“It’s named the Draco constellation, but I always called it a Milotic. Doesn’t it look like one?”

“Wow! It does! You’re totally right!”

Paul emitted a triumphant laugh. “See? Told you.”

“Fine. I’ll never doubt you again, Paul. For the rest of the night, anyway.”

“Thanks…”

“What about that one above Ursaring? That’s the Leo constellation, but what does it look like to you?”

“A...cat? No...”

“A Luxray!” we exclaimed at once.

Torterra twitched upon hearing our outburst, and calmly bellowed at us to shut up.

“Ack...! Sorry,” apologized his trainer.

I giggled, inched closer to Paul, and whispered, “That’s one of my favorites.”

He rolled his eyes at me and whispered back, “I would’ve never guessed.”

“The one next to it, too. Cancer, which looks like a Krabby. And the Gemini twins look like Latios and Latias, although…” Torterra’s leaves blocked a portion of the constellation. “You can’t see part of it from here.”

“Big deal. Not like we can move Torterra.”

I sat up, staring at Torterra’s tree, and the tree towering above us all.

“No. But  _ we _ can move.”

“What do you…?” His eyes widened when I hopped off Torterra’s back. “Where are you going?”

“Shhh! Don’t wake everyone up!”

I stalked over to the tree. A branch sat just above my head. From there, the tree possessed branches spaced about a foot apart from each other, making this an ideal climbing tree. The hardest part would definitely be getting up into the tree in the first place.

“What are you doing?” whispered Paul as he came to my side.

“Getting a better view.” I swung my arms forward, then back. When I swung them forward again, my legs launched me off the ground. Jumping as high as a five-foot tall girl could jump, I secured both hands around the branch and pulled myself up onto it. “There. One branch down. I’m gonna keep…” My voice trailed off as I saw Paul with his back turned to me. “What’s wrong?”

“You,” his ears turned red, even in the moonlight, “shouldn’t be climbing with a skirt on…”

I pursed my lips and folded my arms. “You know, if you’re that much of a perv, then you should’ve realized by now I’m wearing shorts underneath. You creeps always know where to look, apparently, so I’ve taken precautions.”

“Those aren’t shorts. They’re briefs, which means they’re still...you know…”

“ _ Panties _ ?” I tried not to laugh when he shuddered. “Why are you freaking out so much when I say it? Is it because you’re really a pervert, like secretly?”

“Quit that! I’m not a perv!” His face glowed like Rudolph’s nose. “There may be short, disgusting, purple-haired perverts with nothing else on their mind somewhere out there in the vast universe, but I’m not one of them.”

“Then, why are you so weird about it?”

“Because,” he still felt awkward about facing my direction, “I just...don’t think it’s right.”

“Quit whining.” I scrambled onto the second branch. “I’m a girl. I wear skirts. I climb trees. I climb trees  _ while wearing skirts _ .” Then, the next. “Don’t like it? I don’t really care.” And the next. “Now, either come with me or go sit down and wait. I’ll be back in a bit.” And the next, and the next, and the next. “But you’re gonna miss out.”

Paul groaned to himself before making for the first branch and attempting to hoist himself up. “You should know I’m not the best tree climber.”

“Me neither,” I said to someone I could barely see amongst the foliage. “Just don’t fall.”

“Thanks for the advice. How are you so fast, anyway? Was your father Tarzan?”

A laugh bubbled out of me. “No. It’s just lots of practice, though I’d say my biggest credit would be a lack of hesitation. I just keep moving, from one branch to the next without looking down.”

“How are you not more careful? One wrong move and you could—”

The conversation distracted Paul, which caused him to accidentally put too much stress on the current branch. It snapped, and he fell. But before he could fall too far, I swung back down and grabbed his arm.

“Fall?” I smirked. “You should take your own advice, Paul.”

He looked very embarrassed again. “Shut up.”

Laughing, I pulled him onto a sturdy branch near mine.

With my instructions, Paul fell into a steady rhythm of moving from branch to branch. I followed behind just in case he slipped or broke any branches again, but thankfully he didn’t. He got the hang of it rather quickly.

Together, we scaled the tree all the way to the top. Paul and I popped our heads through the canopy, coming face-to-face with a pitch-black blanket stretching for miles and miles. Twinkling stars covered every square inch, each one giving off a very unique and beautiful light.

“Now, that’s a much better view.” I carefully settled myself on a sturdy branch, propping one foot against the tree trunk to keep me stable. “Nothing to stop that remote light from moving within grasp.”

“Wow!” Paul’s jaw fell open. His eyes bulged. He slowly took a spot on a neighboring branch, all eyes glued to the glittering lights above our heads. “I don’t think I’ve ever gotten this close.”

“Didn’t you ever climb rooftops or telephone poles?”

He shook his head.

“What kind of life have you been living, then?”

“A normal one.” He grinned at me. “I guess that’s not what you’ve been living, huh?”

“No.” The light left my eyes as I looked away from him. “Guess not...”

Paul watched my mood as it took a sharp turn and spiraled into the ground. He wanted to fix it. “So,” he loudly cleared his throat, “you were talking about the Gemini twins looking like Latios and Latias?”

“Right!” I scanned the sky and found the star cluster. “If you stare at them long enough, you can see the two dragons. They’re holding hands and flying across the night sky. The Eon Pokémon belonged to some of my favorite stories when I was little. They say that blah blah blah...”

Paul stopped listening the moment I perked up.

_ Phew. _

My frown disappeared about as quickly as it appeared.

_ That’s better. _

“...and they’re super cool! Don’t you think?” I continued, unaware of Paul’s loss of focus.

At the last possible second, he realized I had asked him a question and snapped back to reality. “Y-Yeah, yeah they are super cool! I agree!” His eyes quickly went back to the sky. He hoped to find another constellation and keep the conversation moving forward. “Oh! There’s Aries!”

I noted the floating ram. “How’d you find that one so fast?”

“Any guesses?”

“Are you an Aries?”

“Sure am. Born on the third of April.”

“Well, now that you mention it, you are rather moody, short-tempered, stubborn, and impatient,” I smirked, and then I playfully tapped a finger to my chin. “Am I forgetting anything else?”

“How about intelligent? Brave? Cool.”

“Impossible.” I touched a hand to my cheek. “That’s Prince Charming.”

“Hey! I’m way cooler than that knight in shining armor, and I’ll prove it to you…!” He froze up, bit his lip, and wondered when he’d finally learn to process his words before just blurting them out as loud as possible.

“It…” Turning red, I quickly pulled my eyes away from his. “It’s not like you need to prove anything to me... I couldn’t care less which one of you is cooler...”

“I...I didn’t…” He also looked away.

The awkwardness caused a slight pause in our stargazing.

Until Paul swallowed back the lump in his throat and asked, “What about you?”

I turned my head. “What about me?”

He gestured to the sky. “What are you?”

My lips parted. “Oh.” I looked at the sky for a moment, wondering if I should just give a straight answer.  _ Nah, where’s the fun in that? _ A part of me wanted to turn it into a game, so I replied in a teasing manner, “Mmm… Any guesses?”

“You want me to guess?”

“Well, you did call yourself intelligent just a moment ago.” I rested my chin in my hand and smiled at him. “So prove it,  _ Prince Charming _ .”

Now, it was Paul’s turn to blush, and he turned red as fire. “Fine…” He blinked up at the sky. I could see his thoughts and all potential options racing across his mind. There were only twelve, after all. Not too many. “You’re not an Aries, too, are you?”

“No.”

“Ok. That’s one down. Uh, Aquarius?”

“Nope.”

He lifted a brow. “Really? You’re not stubborn, sarcastic, or incredibly impulsive, because last I checked—”

“No!” I flicked a twig at him and then crossed my arms with a huff. “Guess again.”

“How about Sagittarius?”

“No dice.”

He scratched his head. “This is gonna take forever. Just tell me already.”

“No way. Don’t throw in the towel after two tries! Figure it out.”

“How about a hint? One hint, and I’ll figure it out from there. I promise.”

I considered, but I shook my head. “No. You don’t need a hint...”

“Oh, come on. Quit—”

“Because you’re an Aries,” I continued. His mouth snapped shut. “So you’ll figure it out pretty easily.”

“I will.”

“Yep.”

“Oh. Well, alright.” He put a hand to his chin. “I’ll figure it out if I’m an Aries. What could it be…?” A loud yawn cut off his muttering, and he rubbed his eyes. “We should start heading back down. It’s really late, and we’re getting up early.”

“Yeah. Alright. You first.”

He yawned again as he moved to begin climbing. “But seriously, you won’t tell…”

I realized too late that he shifted too far onto my branch. “Wait, Paul! Don’t put your hand there—!”

Our branches both snapped.


	41. Fires in the Night

Having accidentally snapped both my support and his own, Paul and I plummeted towards the ground, unable to grab a hold of the tree quickly enough. This would be the end of our Pokémon journeys. All over in a flash.  _ Maybe we shouldn’t have climbed...Huh? _

Just like that, we stopped falling.

When I cracked open an eye, I found myself hovering inches above the ground with a green vine secured around my waist. A second vine grabbed Paul’s ankle, leaving him dangling in the air. Both of us were surprised to be spared death.

The vine released Paul, dropping him like a sack of potatoes.

I was gently lowered onto the grass. “Thanks,” I breathed out, standing up beside Paul’s red-eyed plant-dinosaur. “Ivysaur.”

“Yeah,” added his trainer. “We owe you.”

The Pokémon retracted the vines into his flower bud and nodded.

“But, what are you doing awake?” I asked. “I thought you’d fallen asleep with the others.”

Ivysaur used one vine to gesture for me to keep quiet. The other pointed towards the forest, the lake, and the full moon hovering in the sky. Its glow made the flowery meadow sparkle like a glittery blanket.

“Moon-bathing?”

“What? Didn’t get enough sunlight today?” Paul gruffly asked.

“Hey. What’s with the tone?”

“You saw him earlier. Ivysaur refused to train just so he could sunbathe. Ever since Fuchsia City, he’s been sunbathing more and more. What a waste of time. If you want the definition of laziness, look no further—” Ivysaur lifted Paul into the air by his foot again and then dropped him.

I laughed. “You deserved that. We looked it up, remember? The Pokédex says that when an Ivysaur gets close to an evolution, it’ll start spending more time in the sunlight. The exposure adds to the strength of both Ivysaur and his plant.”

“Yeah, but—”

“No buts!”

Knowing he couldn’t win, Paul proceeded to release a string of incoherent grumbles.

“So,” I continued, “are you moon-bathing…?”

Ivysaur shook his head, once again gesturing for me to stay quiet.

Upon Paul remaining quiet as well, a swarm of forest sounds entered our eardrums. A light breeze rustled the grass and trees, and wild Pokémon roamed, and bubbles popped on the water’s surface. The echoing sounds enchanted me. I had never stopped to listen to the forest before.

The closer we listened, the more we singled out a certain chorus of Pokémon cries, which started to sound more and more familiar.

“Are those...Bulbasaur and Ivysaur?”

Ivysaur began swaying back and forth.

His peaceful smile caused my heart to soar. “That makes sense.”

“We should check it out.”

“Huh? Really?”

“Why not? A wild group of Bulbasaur and Ivysaur? That’d be a rare find.”

“Well, true, but it’s already so late, and I don’t want to leave the others—”

Ivysaur called to us from several feet away. He was immediately onboard with Paul’s idea, and upon following the source of the sound, gestured for us to follow. His trainer hurried after him.

I looked back at our sleeping troop before rushing after the pair.

Our departure caught the eyes of one curious Pokémon, who rose quietly from the pile and snuck after us without a sound.

★

Paul and I followed Ivysaur on a winding path through the trees. He used the cries of the fellow Ivysaur and Bulbasaur as a guide. As we got closer and closer to the source, we noticed patches of grass covered with pollen, and flowers bursted in bloom everywhere we looked.

We arrived at a beautiful meadow with colorful flowers, where a small group of Bulbasaur and Ivysaur chanted together. They all stood before a massive, central tree complete with vibrant foliage. A Venusaur sat on a tree stump just before it. The Seed Pokémon overlooked the gathering of its pre-evolutions with a content look, glittery pollen slowly pouring out from the flower on its back.

“So pretty! It’s like a garden!”

“And look at the size of that Venusaur!”

Ivysaur stared out at the scene in wonder.

“This is incredible,” I continued. “A once in a lifetime opportunity. They must be having some sort of evolution festival. It would explain why Ivysaur was so eager to come here, and those other Ivysaur look newly-evolved.”

“You’re right.” Paul then crouched beside his Pokémon. “Do you want to get a closer look? I doubt they’ll be too happy about us joining the party, but you probably have an automatic invite.”

Ivysaur looked between his trainer and the others of his kind.

But before he could decide, a stream of red and orange surged forth from the trees.

The bright flames seared apart the beautiful moment between the Bulbasaur evolutions, the forest, and the night. The attack landed at Venusaur’s feet, causing the giant Pokémon to recoil in fear, while tiny arcs of fire attempted to bite at the feet of the Bulbasaur and Ivysaur.

“Oh no!” I cried, watching the Bulbasaur and Ivysaur scramble to avoid getting singed.

“Where’d that Flamethrower come from?!”

In seconds, the meadow became blazed with light, the flames working to engulf every piece of vegetation it could find. Venusaur’s narrowed eyes and deep frown were illuminated by the glow, and it roared in outrage at whoever threatened its friends and its home.

A human voice was quick to respond. “Again, and make sure to hit Venusaur!”

With a howl, a second Flamethrower shot out at the grass Pokémon. Venusaur whipped up a powerful Petal Dance to repel the fiery attack, commanding the others to take shelter behind it.

A boy and his Arcanine burst through the treeline. “I was gonna catch one of those Ivysaur, but look at the strength of that Venusaur! The others don’t even hold a candle to that power. Flamethrower once more!”

Arcanine once more breathed fire in Venusaur’s direction. This time, the mere force of the flames overpowered the Grass-type, who was already at a serious disadvantage, and scored a direct hit to Venusaur’s face.

“Hey! What do you think you’re doing?!” I hollered.

The boy looked over at us. “Ah, didn’t realize anyone else was out here. What does it look like? I’m catching a Grass-type, and Grass-types don’t do well against fire, right? Sorry if you came all the way out here just to catch this Venusaur. It’s mine now. Again, Arcanine!” The orange dog released another deadly Flamethrower.

Already reeling in pain, the defenseless Venusaur suffered yet another blow to the face and further crumpled to the ground. The wild Bulbasaur and Ivysaur looked on in horror, also unable to do anything against the might of that Arcanine.

“Ahh...!! What kind of messed-up no-good…” I wished for a Water-type at the moment.

“That’s playing dirty,” growled Paul. “Who the hell is that guy?”

Out of nowhere, Paul’s wide-eyed Ivysaur called out to the boy. His cry sounded particularly hopeful for nothing but a simple angry remark, which made us wonder if he recognized the guy from somewhere.

“Huh?” He turned to look at us again, this time focusing on Ivysaur. After a moment, his mouth curved into a wide smile, and he said, “Oh. Is that you,  _ Bulbasaur _ ?”

“Bulbasaur?!” Paul and I shrieked.

The trainer laughed at our surprised faces. “That’s right. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I haven’t seen this little one since...oh, when was it now? Since I left him in the middle of the forest outside of Cerulean City.”

Our jaws dropped.

“You’re the one who abandoned him?”

“In the flesh. Are you his trainer now? You have my respect for getting him to evolve considering how much of a weakling he was. That Bulbasaur just didn’t live up to my expectations, so I got rid of him. Crushed the Poké Ball with my own foot.”

“That’s awful!” I spat.

The memories of Ivysaur’s abandonment flooded his mind, and he felt like he’d drown.

Despite such a harsh confession, the boy simply shrugged. “That’s Pokémon. Since then, I’ve been searching for another Bulbasaur or Ivysaur with potential, but I’ve had no luck. Now a Venusaur, however, would do wonders on my team. So I’m gonna battle this one and catch it, and make it the newest addition to the great Evan team!”

“You can’t catch a Pokémon if you’ve burnt it to ashes!”

“Who asked you?! Now, go, Poké Ball!” He chucked the device like a professional pitcher, and Venusaur was helpless to avoid it.

Suddenly, a vine lashed out, hit the ball, and shattered it into pieces.

“Huh?” gasped myself, Paul, and Evan all at once.

Ivysaur took a step forward and snarled. On top of wanting to help out the wild Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, and Venusaur, he also had a bone to pick with his previous trainer for the cruel way he had been treated; abandonment was only the tip of the iceberg.

A vein twitched on the boy’s forehead. “You gonna get in my way, rat? Alright. Have it your way. Arcanine.” The Pokémon turned, approached Ivysaur, and lowered itself into a battle stance, breathing out intense flames to intimidate him. “Let’s see how long you can resist getting roasted this time.”

“We’re not scared of your Fire-type!” called Paul.

“I’ll show you scary! Fire Blast!” Arcanine barked and unleashed the most powerful attack in its arsenal, something that Ivysaur had little chance of defending against. Fortunately, he wouldn’t be alone.

Water shot out from the forest to connect with the Fire Blast, creating a cloud of steam.

“What now?!” whined Evan.

My fluffy-tailed turtle leaped out of the shadows and beat his fists against his chest.

Wartortle dashed to Ivysaur’s side, shooting his best friend a confident grin and a thumbs-up before glaring over at their opponents. The plant-dinosaur marveled at his friend’s loyalty and willingness to help out.

I cheered, “You’re a real pal, Wartortle!”

“Friendly, has excellent timing, but is  _ extremely _ reckless. Remind you of anyone?”

“Since when is that a bad thing?!” I smacked him, and he smirked.

Feeling supported, Ivysaur barked at Evan, ordering him to leave Venusaur and the others alone.

The boy’s temper reached a tipping point. “Think I’m scared of a double battle? Think again, because I’m not about to back down. Here. Let’s even the score.” He threw another Poké Ball.

A bulky, orange dragon materialized before us, standing seven-feet tall with a scowl far more terrifying than Arcanine.

I shuddered. “What is that?”

Dex responded, “ _ Dragonite the Dragon Pokémon, and the evolved form of Dragonair. Dragonite is the final evolved form of Dratini. Despite its small wings and large body, this extremely rare and highly intelligent Pokémon is able to fly faster than the speed of sound. It is said to live near the sea. Some claim that there is an island in the ocean that only Dragonite inhabit. _ ”

“That thing evolves from Dratini?! It looks a lot scarier than the picture.”

The dragon barked at his two opponents, both of whom were a lot smaller.

Evan smirked. “Still want to battle?”

Paul separated himself from me. “We’re not about to back down, either!” Wartortle and Ivysaur both agreed with him, and they prepared to battle. Together. “Mind if I borrow Wartortle for this one?”

“You know his moves, right?”

“What? Think I haven’t been paying attention to you?”

I shook my head to get rid of my blush. “That makes me even less hopeful of your chances.”

“Fine, don’t trust in my abilities. But, trust in the Pokémon’s.”

“Okay, yeah. Maybe I should battle instead?”

“Nah, nah, I’ll battle the dude. Thank you very much!” called Evan. “Sorry, miss, but this is serious Pokémon battling, not the little league. So, butt out of man’s territory!”

My inner psycho just about burst forward, aiming to smash his nose right into his face and leave it a bloody mess. “Nobody talks to me that way, you son of a bitch! Lemme show you what’s my territory—Agh, let me go, Paul!”

Paul strained to hold me back with a firm grip on my arm. However, that didn’t mean he wasn’t just as furious, maybe even moreso. His upset features scared me and the Pokémon a little.

“Hey!” he shouted with a cold, subzero stare, gently shoving me behind him. “Don’t fucking talk to her like that again, you lowlife. Or, are you just upset that you have absolutely zero chance with a pretty girl like her?”

The heat in my face soared higher than the heat of the surrounding flames!!

Evan blushed a little, too. “Th-That has nothing to do with it, you… Ugh, clearly I interrupted something. Well, let’s just move this along! You two can be lovey-dovey after I wipe the floor with you, Romeo!”

“That’s not—” Paul threw a hand over my mouth.

“Only if you can actually beat me. But I don’t show mercy to impatient wannabe trainers.”

Evan’s anger level spiked with every word Paul said to him.

_ Mocking a trainer and pushing their buttons is Paul through and through _ , I said to myself.

Rather than replying with harsh words of his own, Evan held his tongue and waved his hand. “Loser goes first.”

“We must have different definitions. Ivysaur use Razor Leaf! Wartortle use Water Gun!” They attacked simultaneously.

Arcanine and Dragonite repelled the attacks with Flamethrower, before countering.

“You really think you can beat him?” I quietly asked while watching Wartortle and Ivysaur work in perfect sync with Paul to avoid as many attacks as possible. They dealt plenty of damage in return. “Those are powerful Pokémon.”

“We don’t have to beat him—Protect Ivysaur with your Ice Beam!” The exchange sent a shower of ice particles into the air, only to be destroyed by another Flamethrower from the opposing side. “We’re just the distraction.”

“Distraction?”

“Slow that damn Wartortle down with Thunder Bolt!” Looking just as visually frustrated as its trainer, Dragonite locked its sights on my spinning turtle and launched the deadly attack.

“You know what to do, Wartortle! Iron Tail!” Wartortle jumped in front of Ivysaur and smashed his tail into the ground. Despite taking a direct hit, he received no damage, which shocked Evan. “Vine Whip, Ivysaur!”

“Protect Dragonite with Flame Wheel!”

“Aqua Tail!”

Wartortle and Arcanine collided, but thanks to his advantage, Wartortle came out on top.

Paul glanced back at me. “While he’s distracted, get all the wild Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, and Venusaur out of here, and take them back to camp. They’ll be safe there. I can’t imagine Evan would try anything if he were hilariously outnumbered.”

I nodded. “Good point. Okay, I’ll take care of them. Just keep drawing their attention.”

“Already on it. Ivysaur use Energy Ball! Rapid fire!”

“Dodge with Agility!” Arcanine and Dragonite expertly dodged the attack, and then retaliated with a combined Dragon Rage. Wartortle and Ivysaur countered with Ice Beam and Energy Ball, respectively, resulting in another strong explosion.

While they all clashed, I inched around the outer edge of the meadow, careful to avoid the miniature wildfires breaking out everywhere. The smoke plumes provided excellent cover and ample time to reach the central tree where the wild Pokémon huddled.

When I approached, the Bulbasaur and Ivysaur moved to attack me.

“I’m not here to hurt any of you, I swear!” I got down to eye level, raised my hands in the air, and lowered my voice. “I promise I’m just here to help. My friends over there are distracting that guy so I can get you all to safety. But, before anything, I need to check on Venusaur.”

The group of Pokémon discussed amongst themselves before backing down.

Once clear, I crouched by Venusaur’s massive head and gently rubbed it. “Venusaur, can you hear me? I’m gonna get you and your buddies out of here. Can you walk at all?” It responded with a weak groan, struggling to do anything while covered in burns from head-to-toe. “That bastard’s gonna pay for this. Just hang in there for me, okay?”

Moving Venusaur was the only choice of action, but I would need help moving the two-hundred pound creature.

“Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, we’ve got to move Venusaur together. We have a camp just outside those trees, by the river. I can heal Venusaur once I have my supplies, and we have lots of other Pokémon who can help protect him from that jerk. Sounds good?”

They were eager to get moving and used their vines to help Venusaur stand upright. I helped by supporting his right side; his right legs had sustained more damage than the left. The massive Seed Pokémon winced in pain once he was properly standing.

“It’s just for a bit, Venusaur. You can do it. Let’s go, guys.”

We moved together like one big creature, shuffling as fast as possible to reach the trees.

Paul saw us and strained to keep Evan’s attention on the battlefield.

Wartortle and Ivysaur exchanged attacks with Arcanine and Dragonite one after the other, dodging their counterattacks at the same time, but it was becoming clear who’d win if the battle became an endurance match. The two smaller Pokémon barely managed to hold their own against two Pokémon with far more experience in combat and a wide range of powerful attacks at their disposal.

At first, Evan struggled to break past Wartortle and Ivysaur’s combinations. His Arcanine and Dragonite just couldn’t quite sync up as well as he’d hoped. However, once the guy focused on slowing down my fluffy-tailed turtle, the momentum of the battle began to shift in his favor.

“Ivysaur use Energy Ball on Dragonite!”

“Dodge it!” Dragonite flew up over the attack, becoming a target for a spinning turtle; he had just recently clashed with Arcanine’s Flame Wheel and got knocked into the air.

“Use Bite on Dragonite!” Wartortle popped his head out and bit down on Dragonite’s tail.

Unfortunately, Evan had planned for that.

“Finally. Nowhere to spin off to now, huh?”

Paul suddenly realized his mistake. “Get out of there, Wartortle!”

“Thunder Bolt!”

Unfortunately, Evan called his command faster. Wartortle’s eyes widened as Dragonite howled and then unleashed electric hell. Unable to break away in time, the fluffy-tailed turtle received a powerful jolt that made him see stars and hear a buzzing in his head.

Wartortle’s whole body seized, overwhelmed by a crushing, stabbing pain.

“Now, Slam!”

Dragonite cut off the electricity, flipped in midair, and flung Wartortle into the dirt.

“Wartortle!” Both Paul and Ivysaur called out to their ally.

I heard Paul’s voice, turned, and saw my turtle lying on the ground, surrounded by a cloud of smoke and dust. He was moving, but just barely. He was overwhelmed by a massive headache and painful cramps. On top of being weak to electric attacks, Dragonite’s raw power was on an entirely different level, and it sapped the strength from Wartortle’s body in less than a few seconds.

“War...tortle…”

The wind got knocked out of me as I feared for my Pokémon.

“Now, it’s just that measly Ivysaur to deal with,” grinned Evan. “Which means Venusaur is as good as mine and—” He stopped when he saw that Venusaur had vanished from its original spot. “Wait? Where did it…?”

Evan quickly found me, the Bulbasaur, and the Ivysaur all frozen in place while supporting Venusaur.

“Get out of here!” Paul roared.

“No, you don’t! Both of you, shut them down with Fire Blast!”

Arcanine and Dragonite mercilessly launched a fireball in our direction, and I was unable to avoid it without leaving Venusaur behind. Instead, I squeezed my eyes shut and shielded its body with mine.

BOOM!

“Rosa!!”

Back at camp, a Pokémon poked its head up after hearing the call of my name. It registered the extreme concern in the voice and sprung up onto its feet to investigate. I was missing. Paul, too, plus Wartortle and Ivysaur. But the rest were sleeping.

The Pokémon suddenly caught a whiff of smoke.

Off in the distance, a soft orange glow illuminated a portion of the forest.

_ Flames? _

The Pokémon’s eyes suddenly narrowed, and hostile growls fell out of its mouth one after the other. It wondered if I was in danger, and, if so, then who was the unlucky bastard about to get mauled.


	42. Once and Flor-al

The attack made contact with a target. But not with the  _ intended _ target. When I opened my eyes again, I found myself and all the Pokémon completely unscathed—well, apart from the burns that were already present.

_ Ivy…Saau... _

Paul’s Ivysaur collapsed in front of us. Scorch marks covered his entire body, with the burns on his left side looking to be the worst. That was the side that took the entirety of the combined Fire Blast. How Ivysaur even managed to clear that enormous distance was astonishing.

“Ivysaur!!” I fell at his side and attempted shaking him awake. “Ivysaur! Say something, Ivysaur! Please!”

The Pokémon’s breathing was slow and uneven. One Fire Blast would’ve been more than enough to knock him out; he shielded us from both. We were lucky he wasn’t immediately incinerated.

“See? What a weakling,” laughed Evan, drawing all heads with his villainous voice. “It couldn’t even handle two measly Fire Blasts. Now, I’m glad I got rid of it.”

I clenched my teeth, fighting back frustrated tears. “Quit talking already, you piece of—”

_ Saur… _

Ivysaur trembled and shook, and he opened his eyes. Despite the pain coursing through his body, he found the strength to return to his feet. And even though he was generally a peaceful creature, he now looked pissed! So pissed that he channeled all his remaining energy into his flower to make it glow.

Then, his entire body glowed!

“Ivysaur?” I quickly backed up.

The bud on his back burst open to reveal a beautiful pink flower with white spots, held up by a thick, brown trunk encompassed by green fronds. An Ivysaur had no chance of supporting such a massive plant, so it was good that the evolution caused him to double in size and gave him sturdy, muscular legs. When the light faded, we found a mirror image of the Venusaur currently leaning against me.

The wild Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, Venusaur, Wartortle, and I all watched in amazement as the brand new Venusaur stomped his foot on the ground and roared loud enough to shake the trees around us. A flock of Pidgey got startled and escaped to the sky.

“Well, how about that?” Paul said with a grin, registering Venusaur’s Pokédex data.

“Ah, who cares if it evolved?! We’ll burn it to a crisp either way! Fire Blast!” His Arcanine and Dragonite prepared another fiery combination.

Venusaur crouched and began absorbing light particles into his flower like an inverted shower of sparkles. As the power built, the flower glowed brighter and brighter until the entire thing turned white.

Evan’s Pokémon launched their attack.

Venusaur howled and fired his attack right back, a Solar Beam that sounded like a 50-megaton nuke thanks to all the extra power from his sunbathing earlier. The energy beam shredded through the flames before continuing on to the other end of the meadow. While Dragonite reacted fast enough to fly up over the attack, Arcanine was unable to dodge and received a hard hit.

The dog stumbled backwards, needing a moment to regain its balance. Based on his suddenly fatigued facial expression, the attack clearly took its toll.

“How the hell did that Solar Beam hurt Arcanine?!”

“Because it was pretty damn powerful!” spat Paul, looking equally as frustrated as his Pokémon. “And so is Venusaur!”

“I’ll show you! Fire Punch!” Dragonite engulfed its fist in flames and charged.

“Draw it in with Vine Whip!” Using his vines, Venusaur grabbed the dragon’s fists and brought it to a complete stop in midair; this unfortunately couldn’t prevent Venusaur from feeling the intense heat radiating off Dragonite’s arms.

“Ha! Those flames will still hurt your Pokémon!”

“It’s alright, because this’ll hurt your Pokémon even more! Rapid Spin!” Spinning like a top, Wartortle appeared from nowhere, slammed into Dragonite’s gut, and then spun past it towards the injured Arcanine.

“Stop it with Dragon Rage!”

“Aqua Tail, and make sure that Arcanine gets snuffed out for good!”

While still spinning, Wartortle used his Aqua Tail attack to cut through Arcanine’s Dragon Rage like butter. He got close enough to then score a direct hit to Arcanine’s face, taking him out of the battle in one clean move.

“What the…? How the…?” Evan was unable to comprehend his Pokémon’s defeat.

“Don’t forget that this is a double battle,” laughed Paul.

Evan realized too late that he had forgotten about his other Pokémon currently trapped in Venusaur’s grip. “Dragonite use Hyper Beam!”

“Solar Beam!”

Venusaur was quicker on the draw and launched his attack first at point-blank range. It dealt enough damage to knock out the mighty Dragonite, who toppled over on its back beside its unconscious comrade.

“That’s a wrap!” Paul called. “Arcanine and Dragonite are unable to continue!”

“They won!” I hugged the wild Venusaur’s head. “They won! They won! Isn’t it great?!”

He happily nodded while the Bulbasaur and Ivysaur danced around us.

Venusaur and Wartortle released heavy breaths. Upon the exhale, Venusaur’s adrenaline rush went away, leaving behind the feeling of excruciating pain. He winced and lost balance, but Wartortle supported him. He reminded the Seed Pokémon that he would always be there to support his friend.

“That’s my Pokémon,” I said as I went over and rubbed his head. “Friendly as can be.”

“Yeah,” chuffed Paul. “Better you learn that from her than her terrible attitude.”

I glared at him. “You’re the reason I have a terrible attitude in the first place.”

“Hey, I’m still here! Don’t ignore me!”

We looked over at Evan, who had just recalled his fainted Pokémon.

“If you think this is over, heh, you’re totally wrong!”

“Give it up. You lost fair and square,” said Paul. “If you can’t see that, you’re pathetic.”

“Ooh, he said his catchphrase,” I snickered to Venusaur and Wartortle.

The other boy looked ready to blow his top, having been mocked by Paul more times than he could count. “While it’s true that these Pokémon lost, I have plenty more on my team that can fight, so it’s not a big deal. And no way am I giving up on that Venusaur. No fucking way!” Evan took a step forward with Poké Balls in his hands and a crazed look in his eyes.

I nearly fell backwards when Paul pushed himself in front of me.

“Not even if I have to beat every single one of you with my bare hands—”

Evan’s mouth clamped shut.

A cold feeling swept over him and the surrounding forest, even though the dancing flames made the air uncomfortably warm and dry. No, the cold feeling still lingered. Like someone watching him, glaring at him, burning holes into his back.

A twig snapped, followed by something big brushing against leaves, followed by goosebumps going up and down his arms. It was close by. And it was coming closer. No, it wasn’t just close. It was…!

_ LLuuuuuxx... _

Upon swiveling around, Evan met the eyes of a black and blue cat with narrow and constricted pupils, a venomous snarl, flattened ears, and an arched back. The Pokémon held its tail high and slowly flicked the tip back and forth as it stalked towards the boy, its gaping mouth slowly revealing sharp fangs. You could feel the creature’s growling more than hear it.

The sight was enough to make the toughest wrestler piss their pants.

The boy’s heart jumped into his throat, his soul left his body.

“Oh boy. He must’ve heard you,” laughed Paul before gesturing to me. “That’s this one’s bodyguard.”

Hissing, the hackles rose on Luxio’s back, followed by his tail straightening out. Tensing, he then roared and unleashed a rage-fueled Shock Wave to zap the life out of the boy. No mercy, whatsoever.

“Yeah. He doesn’t appreciate anyone threatening me, or being woken up.”

Once Evan was good and crispy, Luxio hopped over, sat at my feet, purred, and rubbed against my legs.

Paul scratched his head. “Good kitty.”

With a smoky cough, Evan got up and ran for his life, disappearing into the night.

While everyone else celebrated our victory, I knelt down and pulled Luxio into a hug. I kissed his forehead, and he licked mine. “Thank you for that, buddy. But, how’d you even know to come here? You were dead asleep when we left.”

He barked and pointed at Paul.

“You heard that? Wow, you really do have good hearing.”

“What’d he say?”

Embarrassed, I scratched my cheek. “Well, he woke up to you screaming my name, and you sounded kind of worried. As soon as he saw the fire, he came running. Though I don’t know why you sounded so concerned since—”

“Was I not supposed to worry?!” is what he screamed in my face while death-gripping my shoulders. “There was a gigantic fireball coming toward you! And of course, you had to go and make yourself a shield like the reckless girl you are!”

“Hey, I had to protect Venusaur! I’d be a coward if I didn’t at least try.”

“It’s alright if you’re a coward. At least then you won’t get seriously hurt!”

“Except I didn’t! It turned out fine in the end. I don’t understand why it’s such a big deal.”

“It’s just…It’s just…”

“Just what?!”

When Paul seemed unable to properly form his next sentence, I decided to at least try calming down and seeing his side of the conversation.  _ Was he...genuinely concerned? If so, I suppose it’s not very fair to him to be upset. _

I placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Don't worry about me so much, Paul. I can take care of myself, and look. I’m completely unharmed.”

Luxio corrected me by pointing out a small burn on my hand.

My eyes bulged. “U-Uh, that wasn’t there before…”

“Completely unharmed?” grumbled Paul.

“Oh, alright, well, yeah, I guess a flame did catch me, but it’s alright. It would’ve been a lot worse if this big guy wasn’t there.” I reached out and pat Venusaur’s head. “Thanks for saving us, but that was super dangerous. Don’t ever do it again, okay?”

He nodded, also accepting the grateful words of the wild Venusaur and all his buddies.

“You’re a hypocrite,” Paul said to me.

“Why?”

He turned away. “You just are.”

Wartortle waddled over, took my hand, and blew a few bubbles onto it.

“Thanks. See? All better. Thanks for battling so well for Paul by the way.”

“Yeah, you did pretty good.” Paul glanced over at his newly evolved Pokémon. “And you, too. How are you holding up?”

Paul’s Venusaur responded with a painful groan.

“We should get him back to camp,” I said, “and this Venusaur, too. That Arcanine did some damage with those flames.”

“Speaking of flames…”

We forgot about the forest slowly being consumed by red and orange.

“What do we do about this?”

“Let us handle this. Wartortle, let’s try that move we’ve been working on.”

Wartortle nodded and stepped away from the group.

I pointed up at the sky. “Rain Dance, let’s go!”

Taking a deep breath, Wartortle began dancing around, always staying on one leg and switching back and forth between the two. He moved his hands back and forth, with his pointer fingers sticking up towards the sky. After completing a magnificent twirl, a dark circular cloud appeared overhead, spinning counterclockwise with a dark indent in the center.

Torrential rain poured from the cloud and extinguished the flames.

“Excellent moves, Wartortle!” He replied with a gleeful smile and peace sign.

“Well, the dancing was unnecessarily flashy,” noted Paul.

“Hey, it’s Rain  _ Dance _ as you might recall! And it brings my team one step closer to a never-miss Thunder attack. Right, Luxio?” He barked in agreement.

Thanks to our summoned rain, the fire was quickly snuffed out. But, it didn’t do anything to help the parts of the forest that had already been reduced to black, withered, lifeless versions of themselves.

“What do we do about the forest? Everything’s all burnt up,” I said with a frown.

“It’ll grow back.”

“Yeah, it’ll just take hundreds of years.”

Suddenly, the wild Venusaur spoke to Paul’s Venusaur, asking for his cooperation. The two had a very deep conversation between each other about whatever plan the more experienced of the two had concocted.

“What are they saying?”

“Not sure.”

Both Venusaur walked over to the central tree and turned to face us.

They closed their eyes for a moment to concentrate. When they opened them, they roared together and released a cloud of pollen from their flowers. Their bodies glowed bright green, and that same green aura spread out from the tips of their claws. Anything the green light touched began bursting with life and color: the trees, the grass, the flowers.

Everything was revived, leaving behind no trace of the fire.

In addition to healing the forest, the special green aura also healed both Venusaur’s injuries and any sustained by the wild Bulbasaur and Ivysaur.

I felt a tingle in my fingers and watched my burn vanish. “Hey! My hand’s all better!”

“Then that was Synthesis,” said Paul, “though I wonder how they manipulated it outward like that.”

“They say that Venusaur are able to manipulate nature, to some degree.”

“Really?”

“See for yourself.”

The cloud of pollen produced by the Venusaur made contact with the central tree. It burst out in red flowers, followed by many other trees and plants in the vicinity. The vibrant display easily impressed us. Truly a sight to behold.

“People have always argued whether the Bulbasaur family are plants or animals,” I continued. “But I think they’re wasting their breath, because in the end, it really doesn’t matter either way.”

“Why not?”

“I believe that Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, and Venusaur are symbols that all life on Earth is connected. If you don’t believe that, just think how their energy spreads from the tips of their claws up to the trees. The way they give energy for the forests to flourish. And the way the sun gives them energy to grow and evolve.

“They’re all a part of nature. We all are.

“We’re all just one giant Venusaur living in perfect, beautiful harmony.”

Flowers erupted around the tree, around our feet, and wherever else the pollen touched.

“Which makes me think, ‘Life’s a pretty amazing gift. Isn’t it?’ Who’d wanna miss out on something so beautiful?”

Paul stared at me for a while before looking back at the tree.

“Yeah. Beautiful.”

Luxio, Wartortle, and I exchanged content smiles.

After a while, Paul stretched out his arms and checked his Pokétch. “Well, I’d love to stay here all night, but we should probably head back. It’s  _ really _ late.” He covered his mouth when a yawn forced its way out.

I yawned and rubbed my sleepy eyes. “Good idea, but one thing first.”

“What?”

Upon my request, the wild Bulbasaur, Ivysaur, and Venusaur followed us back to our campsite. They agreed to stay just for the night. It was mostly for their protection, as I worried that despite being forever terrified of Luxio, there was a very slim chance of Evan returning for round two.

“Well, if he does make the stupid decision to come back, and, in the process, he accidentally wakes up Gyarados,” said Paul as he settled himself on Torterra’s back and drank from his water bottle, “that sure won’t be beautiful.”

The comment wasn’t even that funny, but I somehow laughed hard enough to shoot water out my nose. It sure amused Paul, leaving him to hold back his laughter while I fought against the burning sensation consuming my brain.

Before bed, I also performed a quick check-up on the wild Venusaur, Bulbasaur, and Ivysaur. Thanks to the efforts of Synthesis, all the worst injuries had been reduced to minor scrapes, which I then treated with potions. When I finished my treatments, I insisted that they all get to bed right away.

“That’s right. No parties. Per doctor’s orders,” I joked.

Torterra had been startled awake by the amount of strange Pokémon suddenly bundled up beside him. However, he quickly decided to care more about getting some shuteye. Thus, he fell right back asleep.

By the time I finally turned in for the night, it was well past two in the morning. I couldn’t stop yelling, I was tripping on everything, and my eyes kept closing. When I settled down in my spot on Torterra’s back, I lost balance and nearly smacked my head against Torterra’s tree.

Paul saved me at the last second, using his bundled jacket to catch me.

I stared at him, too tired to react to the awkwardness.

“You better get some sleep before you hurt yourself, klutz.”

Nevermind. It was super awkward!!

“Right...” I ripped the jacket out from under my head and chucked it as his face. “And take your jacket back!”

“Tch. Don’t sound so grateful, Girlie.”

“Hey, I didn’t ask for your help. And don’t call me tha—”

Torterra bellowed to quiet us both down.

Grumbling, I rested my head on my arm, pulled Luxio and Pikachu into my chest, and closed my eyes. As I thought about the surprisingly decent smell of Paul’s jacket, I drifted off into a rather peaceful sleep.

So peaceful that I didn’t even notice when I stole the jacket back.

You can imagine how startled Paul was to wake up and find me hugging his one extra layer of warmth. He considered retrieving it, but it was tightly locked in my death grip. He didn’t want to risk waking me or any of the Pokémon curled up around me.

_ Eevee isn’t any more of a morning person than Rosa is, and the Electric-types will straight up kill me. _

He contemplated my sleeping face.

“Hey, Growlithe.” With a happy tongue hanging from his mouth, the Puppy Pokémon tiptoed away from the others and leaped onto Torterra’s back. “I’m freezing my ass off. Come here.” The trainer pulled his warm Pokémon into his arms and laid back down.

Trying once more to relax, Paul stared up at the stars, hoping they'd hypnotize him and put him into a sleepy trance. However, it wouldn’t work since he was very distracted. He turned his head and looked over at the person sleeping beside him.

He wondered about her recklessness from earlier. Selflessly putting herself in harm’s way to protect a Pokémon.  _ She’d probably do it again if given the chance. _ No doubt there’d be plenty more instances where she acts recklessly for the sake of a Pokémon.

What if, one time, his Pokémon wasn't around to help her out?

The answer was simple: He would have to do it. He would have to protect her.

But, could he? Was he strong enough?

_ No _ , he thought, his features highlighted by a frown.  _ Not yet. _

Paul imagined a pair of green eyes and brown hair, and absolutely forbade the idea of anything harming either. Right afterward, he cursed himself for the way he considered her. Did he really care about her that much?

_ If I do, then...then all the more reason to protect her. _

_ Which means I have to get stronger. MUCH stronger. _

That was the last coherent thought he had before drifting off to dreamland.


End file.
